Conductive Polymers

Summary

This video discusses the fascinating discovery of conductive polymers, which challenge traditional beliefs about electricity and non-metals. While metals like copper are well-known conductors, certain plastics can also conduct electricity due to unique chemical structures. The discovery of polyacetylene, a conductive plastic, happened accidentally in the lab of Hideki Shirakawa, leading to breakthroughs in conductive materials. Conductive polymers, though still not replacing metals, offer lightweight, versatile, and cost-effective alternatives for future technologies like batteries, artificial muscles, and biosensors.

Takeaways

• ⚡ Metals are commonly known for conducting electricity, but some non-metals, like conductive plastics, can also act as conductors.
• 🔌 Electricity involves the flow of electrons between atoms, with metals having loosely held electrons that allow easy movement, while non-metals typically do not.
• 🧪 Electrically-conductive plastics, known as polymers, can be engineered to conduct electricity similarly to metals by altering their atomic structure.
• 💡 Conductive polymers were discovered accidentally in the lab of Hideki Shirakawa when polyacetylene, a compound, was mixed incorrectly.
• 👨‍🔬 Chemists Hideki Shirakawa, Alan MacDiarmid, and physicist Alan Heeger discovered ways to increase the conductivity of polyacetylene using methods like bromine gas, reaching levels close to copper.
• 🧫 Polymers usually don't have delocalized electrons for conductivity, but materials like polyacetylene have a conjugated backbone that allows electron mobility via 'doping.'
• 🔬 The process of 'doping' changes the number of electrons in a polymer, either by adding or removing electrons, enhancing conductivity.
• 🏆 Shirakawa, MacDiarmid, and Heeger were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for their work on conductive polymers.
• 🚀 Conductive polymers have potential applications in high-capacity batteries, artificial muscles, biosensors, and other advanced technologies.
• 🌟 While conductive polymers won't completely replace metals soon, their lightweight, low-cost, and versatile properties make them attractive alternatives in certain applications.

Q & A

What are some examples of metals used as conductors in everyday electronics?

Metals such as copper and aluminum are commonly used in light bulbs, phones, computers, and TVs as conductors in everyday electronics.

Why are metals generally better conductors of electricity than non-metals?

Metals have delocalized electrons, meaning their outermost electrons are loosely held and can move freely, allowing them to conduct electricity better than non-metals, whose electrons are more tightly bound to the nucleus.

What is the role of rubber coatings on electrical wires?

Rubber coatings act as insulators on electrical wires, preventing electric current from flowing into our bodies and causing electric shock.

What are conductive polymers, and how do they challenge the traditional view of conductors?

Conductive polymers are special plastics made of long chains of monomers that can be engineered to conduct electricity like metals. This challenges the traditional view that only metals can be good conductors.

How was the discovery of polyacetylene, a conductive polymer, made?

Polyacetylene was discovered accidentally in Hideki Shirakawa’s lab when it was mixed incorrectly and formed a silvery film, leading to further research with Alan MacDiarmid and Alan Heeger, which revealed its conductive properties.

How does the process of 'doping' enhance the conductivity of conductive polymers like polyacetylene?

'Doping' enhances conductivity by altering the number of electrons in the polymer, either by adding or removing electrons. This increases the mobility of electrons, making it easier for them to move and conduct electricity.

What is a 'conjugated backbone' in polymers, and why is it important for conductivity?

A 'conjugated backbone' is a structure where alternating single and double bonds exist in a polymer. This arrangement allows for delocalization of electrons, enabling them to move more freely and enhance conductivity.

Why is polyacetylene significant in the field of conductive polymers?

Polyacetylene's discovery was groundbreaking because it demonstrated that polymers, previously believed to be non-conductive, could be engineered to conduct electricity like metals, opening up new possibilities for research and applications.

What are some potential applications of conductive polymers in future technologies?

Conductive polymers have potential applications in high-capacity batteries, artificial muscles, biosensors, and other areas of technology and medical science.

Why might conductive polymers not completely replace metals in the near future?

While conductive polymers offer advantages like being lightweight and versatile, metals are still superior conductors in many cases, and it is unlikely that plastics will entirely replace metals in the near future.