Conductive polymer materials and methods for their manufacture and use

Abstract

Quantum nanowires are produced in a medium comprising ions, dopants and free electrons, wherein the free electrons are solvated by complexes of ions and dopants. Electrical conductivity of the quantum nanowires can be higher than for conventional metal conductors. Quantum nanowires can be prepared in linear or circular form, and can be used to manufacture electrical components including transistors, sensors, motors and other nanoscale passive or active devices. Nanoscale devices can be made in liquid, semisolid, or solid media. Methods are provided for the manufacture of quantum nanowires and devices made therefrom. The devices can be used in the manufacture of computers, electronic circuits, biological implants and other products.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to conductive polymer materials, and to conductive polymer materials having organic ions, a dopant and solvated free electrons. This invention also relates to conductive polymer materials used in microelectronics, optoelectronics and biomedicine. 2. Description of Related Art Electrical conductors play fundamental roles in many aspects of modern technology. Technological advances in computers relies upon conductors that have low resistance. The energy required to move electrical current through a conductor is related to the resistance. To maintain operating temperatures, resistive energy losses, including heat, must be dissipated by devices containing conductors. To minimize the energy required and the energy dissipation necessary, it is desirable to provide conductors having very high conductivity and low resistance. Because many applications occur at temperatures near room temperature, it is especiall...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The polymer-based superpolarons exhibit conductivity several orders of magnitude higher than traditional metals, reducing energy losses and enabling efficient electrical transmission and storage without the need for cryogenic cooling.

Problems solved by technology

However, the resistance of these materials is sufficiently high as to require significant energy for their operation, and their use results in substantial power losses.

Unfortunately, the critical temperatures for most metals is very low, typically a few Kelvins (K).

This low temperature requirement severely limits the application of metal superconductors for room temperature applications.

Another significant advance occurred in 1987 with the discovery that certain ceramic oxides can become superconductors below critical temperatures of about 100 K. Although the critical temperature is substantially higher for ceramic oxide superconductors than for metal conductors, the temperatures are so low as to make room temperature applications expensive and difficult.

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