H. V. Rasika Dias tells Journal of Materials Chemistry about his hot paper.

1. Can you briefly describe what you achieved in this article?
We have developed a novel catalytic method which utilizes only minimal amounts of chemicals to prepare electronically conducting polyaniline in its highly conducting state with water being the only by-product. The material obtained was extensively characterized and the method presented is suitable for large scale production of polyaniline.  The copper complex used as the catalyst is also interesting because they serve as models for some copper based metalloenzymes relevant to metal-oxygen chemistry.

2. Could you explain the significance of your article to the non-specialist? 
Most polymers are electrical insulators. For example, we coat electrical wires with polymers to protect them from short-circuiting. However, there is a small family of polymers that can conduct electricity. Polyaniline belongs to this category. Materials based on polyanilines are useful for several applications including rechargeable batteries, antistatic coatings, electromagnetic and electrostatic shields, smart windows, printed circuit boards and in many other advanced devices.  Yet the common synthetic method of polyaniline is not very environmentally friendly and utilizes harsh reagents in large quantities. What we have discovered is a novel catalytic method that produces high-quality polyaniline. This new route uses milder chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and generates only water as the byproduct. Therefore, this is an environmentally friendly approach for polyaniline synthesis that can be readily extended to a large scale industrial process.

3. What has motivated you to conduct this work? 
We are mainly interested in developing environmentally friendly methods for the synthesis of various important chemicals.  We are also involved in the study of oxidation and oxygen activation chemistry relevant to chemical industry and biological processes.  This is a project that encompasses all of those aspects, and a truly interdisciplinary project. Such projects are particularly challenging requiring close collaboration between groups with different expertise, and are ideal tools for student training. Several individuals, in particular, Gamini Rajapakse (Professor of Chemistry at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka) played major roles in uncovering the chemistry reported in this article. 

4. Where do you see this work developing in the future? 
The availability of cheaper and cleaner synthetic routes would draw more industries to the conducting polymer field, particularly in developing low-cost printed circuit boards, electrodes in rechargeable batteries, electrochromic devices, anti-static coatings and in protecting objects from corrosion.

5. Are there any particular challenges facing future research in this area? 
One of the challenges is to improve the conductivity of these polymers to much higher levels so that they can even compete with metallic conductors like copper.  The development of easily processable polyaniline is also a challenge. More convenient, cheaper, and/or greener methodology is needed for the synthesis of other conducting polymers also.

H. V. Rasika Dias received a B.Sc. (First Class Honours) in Chemistry from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of California, Davis.  After spending three years at the DuPont Central Research & Development, Delaware, as a Visiting Research Scientist, Dr. Dias joined the University of Texas at Arlington faculty where he is a Full Professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.  His current research activities concern homogeneous catalysis, luminescent materials, bioinorganic chemistry, fluorinated ligand chemistry, and conducting polymers.  Dr. Dias has published over 125 papers in leading journals.