Electroactive polymers are at the forefront of several new, important and far-reaching technologies. They require a detailed and up-to-date assessment of their impact on the technologically driven electronics industry. Although conductive plastics mimic the conductivity of metals, generally compromises have to be made in terms of their processability, performance, and economies of production. These factors have driven the search for alternative "conductive plastics" such as ICPs and IDPs. Low dielectric polymer development is still in its infancy and is primarily targeted for flexible electronics.
According to a technical market research report, RP-189 Electroactive Polymers from Business Communications Co, Inc, the electroactive polymers market will reach 170 million pounds in 2006. The market will continue to grow at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 7.1% and reach 240 million pounds in 2011. Electroactive polymers comprise several groups of materials: conductive plastics, inherently conductive polymers (ICPs), inherently dissipative polymer (IDPs), and other polymers. Conductive plastics will reach 168 million lb in 2006. By the end of the forecast period, these plastics will reach 235 million lb at an AAGR of 6.9%. ICPs will grow to 5.3 million lb in 2011 -- up from 2.6 million lb in 2006 -- an AAGR of 15.7%. The growth for low dielectric polymers is so small that a measurement of AAGR would be meaningless.
Traditional conductive plastics utilize standard fillers, most notably carbon black and carbon fibers, to provide both ESD protection and/or EMI shielding, while inherently conductive polymers (ICPs) compete in the ESD market but are moving ahead, albeit in very small volumes, into advanced electronic applications such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) for flat panel displays, anti-corrosion coatings, sensors, solar cells, textile/fabrics, capacitors, and potentially, in organic transistors and flexible circuitry. Low dielectric polymers, another aspect of electroactive polymers, are being touted for the film base for these flexible circuits.
In addition to the continuing need to solve technological issues, the high prices of ICPs are a major deterrent in their commercial development. Conductive plastic growth appears to be solid over the next five years and well into the next decade even though some relatively small specialty applications have been replaced by ICPs.
The major ICPs are polythiophenes, polyanilines, and, polypyrroles and the few major ICP producing companies are all based off-shore consisting of Bayer/Lanxess and Ormecon (Germany), and Panipol (Finland), while the major conductive plastics companies are based in North America led by LNP, Noveon, Polyone and RTP.
