European Networks Focus on Advanced Materials
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European Networks Focus on Advanced Materials The European Networks on Advanced Materials were established in 1987 to enhance scientific and technical coopération between research teams from différent countries. With the assistance of industrial and public institutions and with the support of the Council of Europe and the Commission of the European Communities, the European Materials Research Society is continuing to develop thèse networks. Eleven networks hâve established programs, and three are in the initial stages of development (see Table). This article is the last of this past year's on the philosophies, aims and activities of the European networks as described by their chairmen. Featured this month is Network 11 on Electroactive Conjugated Polymers. A brochure detailing ail the networks is available from: P. Siffert, Chairman, European Materials Research Society, Centre de Recherches Nucléaires, 23, rue de Loess, F67037, Strasbourg, France; téléphone 88 28 65 43;" fax 88 28 09 90.
Network 11—Ejectroactive Conjugated Polymers Chairman: M. Zerbi, Politechnico, Milano, Italy. During the last décade a new class of organic materials has emerged in chemistry and in physics, the scrcalled "conducting polymers" or "organic metals." Thèse materials behave as insulators or semiconductors and can acquire metallic conductivity when doped with suitable electrondonating or electron-accepting molécules. The iriterest in académie and industrial laboratories is very strong in ail technologically developed countries Worldwide, and in many universities and national laboratories. Thèse materials are a true challenge for an interdisciplinary community of chemists, physicists, and materials scientists. Many European groups are very active in this field, which spans theoretical understanding of the phenomenon, the synthesis of new materials, and the search for new devices. Recently, a striking resuit has been reached with the synthesis of polyacetylene with an electrical conductivity of 105 Siemens/cm, similar to the electrical conductivity of copper.'
Even though polyacetylene has not yet become a suitable material for technological applications because of its instability, many new materials hâve been prepared which show good conductivity and high chemical stability. Moreover, some of thèse materials can be processed for the préparation of conducting films, wires, glasses, and new devices. Due to the growing importance of this new and exciting field of modem materials, E-MRS has established this network to coordinâte and stimulate a collaborative effort on the European level between various laboratories. Due to the electronic structure of organic molécules, their electrical conductivity involves physical processes completely différent from those occurring in metals and even in semiconductors. The theoretical understanding of the mechanism of conductivity at the molecular level is a challenge for those scientists who deal with theoretical physics, solid state physics, physical chemistry, quantum chemistry and computer science. N
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