News Article
New conductive plastic
Scientists at US company TDA Research have developed a new conductive plastic. Oligotron polymers possess a conducting centre – polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) - and two non-conducting ends. These ends are needed to enable solubility. This solubility would make conducting polymers easier to process, reducing production costs.
Scientists at US company TDA Research have developed a new conductive plastic. Oligotron polymers possess a conducting centre – polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) - and two non-conducting ends. These ends are needed to enable solubility. This solubility would make conducting polymers easier to process, reducing production costs.
Although PEDOT on its own is water-soluble, this makes it easy to damage during processing. Oligotron is soluble in non-corrosive chemicals and further the end molecules can be used to attach new functions to the material such as chemicals that convert solar power into electricity. The new material can also be fixed with ultraviolet light creating new patterning possibilities. Possible applications include flexible television displays, smart cards, anti-static treatments and conducting fabrics.
Caption: UV light sets the oligotron material. The US National Science Foundation (NSF) financed the research under a small business (SBIR) award
