Conducting polymers are currently in the forefront of emerging technologies. Applications of current materials as well as future materials will lead to an increasing role for these systems. The utility of conducting polymers is demonstrated by the various tasks in which they are employed. These include photovoltaics, non-linear optics, microlithography, EMI shielding, anti-static fabrics, corrosion prevention in metals, rechargeable batteries, and gas separation membranes. One of the latest applications of these materials was demonstrated in the medical field of nerve regeneration.

Current research projects at this institution involving the synthesis of water-soluble conducting polymers are contributing significantly to these emerging technologies. The focus is aimed at improved processability of conducting polymers, especially polyaniline, polypyrrole, and their derivatives, for application to anti-static fabrics and corrosion prevention in metals.

The conducting polymer research group makes extensive use of the Chemical Abstract Search on-line, as well as FEDIX, the IBM Patent Search, and the various available Internet search engines to acquire the latest published information. Communication among collaborators typically requires exchanging large files, perhaps 10-20 Mb, from two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. A high transmission rate is required for acquisition, sharing, and timely discussion of the data. Desktop conferencing or multi-cast video conferencing in real-time would be highly desirable, but consumes additional bandwidth which presently is allocated to data streaming.