Often branded as a class of “miracle” advanced materials that will transform electronics and photovoltaics, the actual record of conductive polymers has been decidedly mixed.   The early expectations for the role of polymer-based PV, or conductive polymers as a transparent conductive coating, have never been met.  And in other areas of organic electronics, polymer materials – areas such as OLEDs and OTFTs – polymers have played second fiddle to small molecule materials.

Does this mean that the conductive polymer story is so much hype?  Will these interesting materials be condemned forever to low-value markets such as anti-statics?  In answering such questions, NanoMarkets believes that it is high time to launch a serious investigation of where the genuine opportunities for conductive polymers will be found over the next decade.
 
The goal of this report is to seek out such opportunities, quantify them and show how they are best capitalized on.

In this report we examine the main conductive polymers that have been proposed for use in electronics and PV and take a look at how they are evolving technically to provide better performance.  Based on this analysis we then examine the main applications for which conductive polymers have been proposed, showing where they have a competitive edge and how materials firms can monetize that advantage.   For each of the main applications studied, we provide an eight-year market forecast, with indications of which particular conductive polymers are likely to do well in that market environment.

The results of this investigation, we believe will be of importance not just to manufacturers of conductive polymers but throughout the electronics materials industry and indeed to the broader electronics and investor communities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary
 
E.1 Introduction
E.2 Making Conducting Polymers Better and Better
E.3 Improvements of the Semiconducting Kind
E.4 Conductive Polymers:  The Impact of Nanoengineering
E.5 Applications to Focus On
E.5.1 Growing Opportunities in the Anti-Static and EMI/RFI Space
E.5.2 The Potential for Conductive Polymers as an ITO Alternative
E.5.3 A Second Coming for Polymer OLEDs
E.5.4 Polymers, PV and Opportunities
E.5.5 Energy Storage and Conductive Polymers
E.5.6 Other Opportunities or are They?
E.6 Summary of Eight-Year Forecast of Conductive Polymer Markets
 
Chapter One: Introduction
 
1.1 Background to this Report
1.1.1 The Future of Conductive Polymers:  Room for Improvement
1.1.2 Potential Applications:  From Anti-statics to Transistors
1.2 Objectives and Scope of this Report
1.3 Methodology and Information Sources for this Report
1.4 Plan of this Report
 
Chapter Two:  Conductive Polymers for Electronics: Now and In the Future
 
2.1 Introduction:  The Core Value Proposition of Conductive Polymers
2.1.1 Conductive Polymers:  Current Challenges to Market Expansion
2.2 Polythiophenes
2.2.1 PEDOT and PEDOT:PSS
2.2.2 PEDOS
2.2.3 PheDOT
2.2.4 P3HT and P3AT
2.3 Polypyrrole (PPy)
2.3.1 Chemistry and Current Suppliers
2.3.2 Applications for PPy:  A Quick Review of Medical Apps
2.4 Polyaniline (PANI)
2.4.1 Chemistry and Current Suppliers
2.4.2 Unique Applications for PANI
2.4.3 Roads to Higher Conductivity for PANI
2.5 Polyphenylenes/PPV
2.5.1 Doping Issues with PPV
2.5.2 Other PPV Challenges
2.6 Other Conductive Polymers for Electronics
2.6.1 Conductive Elastomers
2.6.2 Polymers in Composite Materials
2.7 Some Notes on Printing and Polymers
2.7.1 Screen Printing and Conductive Polymers
2.7.2 Inkjet and Conductive Polymers
2.7.3 Flexo, Gravure and Conductive Polymers
2.8 Key Points Made in this Chapter
 
Chapter Three:  An Eight-Year Forecast of Polymers for Electronics and Optoelectronics Applications
 
3.1 Potential Applications for Conductive Polymers in Electronics and Optoelectronics
3.2 Conductive Polymers and Specialist ESD and EMI/RFI Markets
3.2.1 Addressable Market Evolution:  Device Integration and Market Drivers
3.2.2 Conductive Polymers in ESD Applications
3.2.3 Conductive Polymers in EMI/RFI Applications
3.2.4 Eight-Year Forecasts of Conductive Polymers in ESD and EMI/RFI Markets
3.3 Conductive Polymers and the ITO Alternative Market
3.3.1 Addressable Market Evolution:  What's Wrong with ITO
3.3.2 Experiences with Conductive Polymers as an ITO Alternative
3.3.3 Eight-Year Forecasts
3.4 Polymer OLEDs:  Is There Still Hope?
3.4.1 Suppliers and New Directions for Polymer OLEDs
3.4.2 Potential for Using Conductive Polymers in OLEDs
3.4.3 A Note on EL Devices
3.4.4 Eight-Year Forecasts
3.5 Organic PV:  Polymer Stronghold
3.5.1  Directions for Improvement in OPV Polymers
3.5.2  Polymers for Pure OPV Electrodes
3.5.3 Eight-Year Forecasts
3.6 Energy Storage and Conductive Polymers
3.6.1 Applications of Conductive Polymers in Batteries and Fuel Cells
3.6.2 Polymers and Lithium-Ion Batteries
3.6.3 PPy in Energy Storage
3.6.4 PEDOT in Energy Storage
3.6.5 Conductive Polymers in Fuel Cells
3.6.6 Conductive Polymers in Capacitors and Supercapacitors
3.6.7 Eight-Year Forecasts
3.7 Market Speculations: Possible Revenue Generators for Conductive Polymers
3.7.1 OTFTs
3.7.2 Electrochromic Displays
3.7.3 Sensors and Medical Applications
3.7.4 Smart Fabrics and Smart Skins
3.7.5 Eight-Year Forecasts
3.8 Summary of Eight-Year Forecasts
3.9 Key Points Made in this Chapter
 
Acronyms and Abbreviations Used In this Report
 
List of Exhibits
 
Exhibit E-1: Conductive Polymer Markets:  By Sector ($ Millions).
Exhibit 2-1: Technical Challenges to a Commercialized Polymer Electronics.
Exhibit 2-2: Agfa's Conductive ORGACON Coatings.
Exhibit 2-3: Heraeus' Clevios Material Properties.
Exhibit 2-4: PEDOS Properties.
Exhibit 2-5: American Dye Source ADS650 WP PANI Conductive Coating.
Exhibit 2-6: Common Conductive Polymer.
Exhibit 2-7: Conductive Polymers in Roll to Roll Printing.
Exhibit 3-1: Conductive Polymer Markets:  Anti-static and EMI/RFI Applications ($ Millions).
Exhibit 3-2: Conductive Polymer Markets:  ITO Alternatives Market.
Exhibit 3-3: Conductive Polymer Markets:  OLEDs.
Exhibit 3-4: Conductive Polymer Markets:  OPV Applications.
Exhibit 3-5: BASF IP - Conductive Polymers for Battery Applications.
Exhibit 3-6: Conductive Polymer Markets:  Energy Storage.
Exhibit 3-7: NanoSonic's Metal Rubber Properties.
Exhibit 3-8: Conductive Polymer Markets:  Other Markets.
Exhibit 3-9: Conductive Polymer Markets:  By Sector ($ Millions).