The Hindu Business Line : 21st century is era of polymers: Nobel laureate

IF the previous century was called the age of the silicons, the 21st century should aptly be called the era of polymers, according to the Chemistry Nobel laureate (2000) Dr Alan G. Macdiarmid of the University of Pennsylvania.

He was delivering the keynote address at Macro 2004, the international conference on polymers for advanced technologies, being organised here by the Thiruvananthapuram Chapter of the Society for Polymer Science, India.

Dr MacDiarmid traced the evolution of polymers from the pre-1977 electrically insulating polymers to the electronic and conducting polymers.

Dr MacDiarmid discovered that conductivity in electronic polymers (polyaniline) can be enhanced through a process called `doping'. He described doping as a unique, central, underlying and unifying theme in conducting polymers.

Synthesis of electronic polymers and nano science has led to a new era in electronics marked by the invention of` `throw-away' plastic chips and nano fibres thinner than human hair.

It is the synthesis of electronic and conducting polymers that has led to the development of several electronic and technological applications of everyday use such as light emitting diodes, anti-static coating on photographic paper and rechargeable batteries.

Throw-away plastic chips are now replacing bar coding for goods and commodities in super markets. This technology enables preparation of the bill by the time the customer reaches the cash counter, after shopping. A machine records details from an embedded plastic chip each time the customer chooses an item.

Space industry: Dr K. N. Ninan, senior scientist at the Vikram Sarabhai Space centre, Thiruvananthapuram, said the last few decades have witnessed great advancements in high performance polymers and polymer-based systems.

The impetus for the development was derived, to a large extent, from the exacting demands of the aerospace industry.

The major elements of space endeavours, such as the development of rockets and satellites for space missions, require `exotic' materials with high and conflicting demands such as high strength and low weight, ability to withstand high pressure and hard vacuum, hostile environment of very low and high temperatures, and UV and particle radiation, Dr Ninan said.

Polymers is a frontier area of research and development. Polymeric fuel binder for composite solid propellants is the most important class of polymers used in launch vehicles and satellites.

Though the binder is a minor constituent in composite propellant, it is the most important ingredient from a chemical point of view. The polymer system is built to give the necessary crosslink density and mechanical properties to the propellant.

Reusability of the launch vehicle is a major step towards reduction of launch cost. This calls for new generation propellants with advanced polymeric fuel binder. Intelligent polymers find application in deployment mechanisms for inter-planetary mission.

These challenging demands for the future puts an enormous responsibility on polymer scientists and technologists of the country. Industry and academic institutions have an important role to play in the ambitious space programmes of the country.

Earlier, Prof I. K. Verma, Reliance Emeritus Professor, IIT Delhi, presented a memento to Dr MacDiarmid on behalf of the Society for Polymer Science, India.

Over 600 delegates from India and abroad are attending the three-day conference.

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