"From the Forward: "
Processing, fabrication, applications, and limitations of inherently conducting polymers are covered in this book. Electrically conducting polymers have many potential applications and thus are a focus of research interest. Such polymers depend on a conjugated backbone that can be doped with highly reactive materials to increase conductivity, but this backbone is also the source of instability in these materials.
The work described concentrates on solving these instability problems, using various doping techniques to yield polymers more stable than polyacetylene, (CH)x, the first extensively characterized covalent organic polymer. Several methods of synthesizing conjugated polymers and ways of doping the conjugated backbone are described. The stability of pristine and doped polymers is examined in ambient atmosphere and under thermal treatment, and several stabilization techniques are discussed, including chemical doping, ion implantation, plastification, copolymerization, antioxidative treatments, surface protection, and the use of crown ethers.
Although considerable progress has been made, a fully stable, highly conductive polymer still awaits development. Various possible uses of such a polymer and the conditions for successful applications are described, as are the relative advantages and disadvantages of currently available polymers.

The subject of Intrinsically Conducting Polymers: an Emerging Technology' was addressed at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop held in Burlington, Vermont, U.S.A. in October 1992. Approximately 30 invited scientists from 11 different countries attended the workshop and 24 lectures were given discussing in detail the most important processing techniques and applications of conducting polymers, along with the basic materials science aspects. The results was the present book, which, for the first time, addresses progress in materials science related to polymers presently on the market and to already existing applications, as well as to future applications. This book covers mostly existing and future applications of intrinsically conducting polymers. Among these applications are the redox-type, such as batteries and electrochemical actuators and artificial muscles. Capacitors, microlithography and transistor uses are addressed. The use of conducting polymers as 'smart' materials in sensor/indicator types of applications is discussed. ESD applications and EMI shielding are subjects that conducting polymers are sought after for. Microwave properties for radar/microwave absorption and for plastics joining/welding are discussed. Also, this book discusses materials processing for the various applications, including fabrication of fibers, textiles, colloids and films/coatings. This book will be an important addition to the libraries of every institution involved in this emerging technology.

This book contains the majority of the papers presented at the NATO Ad vanced Research Workshop (ARW) held in Burlington, Vermont, USA on October 12-15, 1992. This ARW was the first of its kind to address the subject of intrinsically conducting polymers with an emphasis on processing and technological applications. The NATO ARW format was followed in that the subjects addressed here were limited in number but discussed in detail with the attendance being limited to a small number of selected scientists. The ARW brought together lecturers who are leaders in their respective fields from a wide range of NATO and non-NATO countries (a total of 11 countries) with the support of the NATO Scientific Affairs Division and some support from Champlain Cable Corporation. The total number of par ticipants was 33 and the number of presentations was 24. The speakers were chosen based on the topics selected for this workshop and repre sented industry, universities and government laboratories. The field of conducting polymers has grown rapidly during the past few years with important developments in materials processing and fabrica tion that brought about active research programs focusing on the use of these polymers as "smart" materials in technological applications and devices in academic and industrial research laboratories."