Conducting polymers: novel materials for chemical and bio-sensors

Abstract

Conducting polymers are novel organic semiconducting materials with promise in a wide range of electronic applications from charge storage to sensors. The electronic and optical properties of these polymers are very sensitive to their chemical and electrochemical state, with conductivities changing by several orders of magnitude in response to small changes in the chemical/electrochemical state. This property has been exploited to develop sensors, and electronic switching devices. Some of the progress in this direction is described here with specific reference to work done at IIT, Bombay.