Conductive polymer set for leap from flexi-phones to medical sensors

Polymer technology that makes smartphones and other electronic devices more flexible could one day help save lives through better health monitoring.

The glass-like polymer being developed at Purdue University - made from long chains that contain radical groups - conducts electricity for transparent and flexible electronics.

It is claimed that with the the look at feel of glass, the polymer film can be inexpensively and sustainably produced on a large scale as it originates from earth-abundant materials. According to Purdue, its cost effectiveness also has advantages over polymers already used for electronics that rely on expensive chemistry and chemical doping to achieve high conductivity.

“We have made a giant leap in polymer production by better matching the mechanical properties of organic materials used to create them and helping to avoid catastrophic failures with electronic display screens,” said Bryan Boudouris, the Robert and Sally Weist Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, who led the research team.