Editorial
Yeong-Soon Gal
Abstract
Ionically conducting polymers are of great interest because of their extensive conjugation and ionic nature. These materials have potentials as materials for mixed ionic and electronic conductivity, energy storage devices, and permselective membrane. Blumstein’s group (University of Massachusetts) firstly synthesized interesting ionic conjugated polymers via the non-catalyst polymerization of ethynylpyridines using bromine, sulfuric acid, or alkyl halides. This polymerization method can originally prevent the contamination of polymer sample by the catalyst or initiator used during process because this polymerization do not need any additional initiator or catalyst. These polymers contain pyridinium ring substituents associated with halides, methane sulfonate, or tosylate counterions. The pyridine-based conjugated polyelectrolytes have been used as material candidates for the development of low-cost optoelectronic applications such as plastic electronic devices and biosensors.