Polymer International 43 (1997) 980

Book Reviews

polymer electrochemistry. Part 2, Methods andElectroactiveapplicationsEdited by Michael E. G. Lyons.Plenum, New York, 1996.pp. xv] 322, price US$85.00.ISBN 0-306-45158-1

This volume is the second in a three-part series on the electro-chemical applications of polymers. Part 1 dealt with chargepercolation in electroactive polymer Ðlms, electrocatalyticprocesses, and mechanisms of charge transport in electronicand mixed ionic/electronic systems. Part 3 will deal withpolymer ionics.

Part 2 occupies a “middle groundÏ where the basic theory ofelectroactive polymers connects with electrochemical applica-tions. The subject matter is aimed at graduate students andthose committed to this Ðeld of research, and at Ðrst glance itmore likely appeals to electrochemists than to polymer scien-tists. However, for those who make the e†ort to delve deeperinto the text, there are many “hidden gemsÏ and items ofgeneral scientiÐc interest.

In Chapter 5 (the Ðrst in this volume), MortonÈBlake andCorish discuss “Atomistic simulation investigations of electro-active polymersÏ. They grapple with problems of mass trans-port in partially crystalline Ðlms, where structure andmorphology are important but not fully understood, and shednew light on dopantÈhost polymer interactions. Such prob-

lems are also encountered in mixed ion-conducting glassesand in polymer electrolytes. Chapter 6, by Cassidy, is con-cerned with “Numerical simulation methods applied to elec-troactive polymer ÐlmsÏ. I was intrigued by the numericalsimulations of experimental cyclic voltammograms in poly-pyrrole Ðlms which are directly relevant to developments insupercapacitors and other energy storage devices. A novelfeature of this chapter is the inclusion of detailed programlistings.

Chapter 7, by Higgins, Christensen and Hammett, dealswith “In situ ellipsometry and FTIR spectroscopy applied toelectroactive polymer-modiÐed electrodesÏ. This lucid presen-tation is an excellent introduction to this topic. The laterchapters, on “Osmium and ruthenium poly(pyridyl) redoxpolymers as electrode coatingsÏ (by Kelly and Vos), “Applica-tions of electroactive polymers in bioelectrochemistry and bio-electronicsÏ (by Bartlett and Cooper), “Analytical applicationsof polymer-modiÐed electrodesÏ (by Leech), and “Polymer-based amperometric biosensorsÏ (by Iwuoha and Smyth), aredevoted mainly to electrochemical applications.

Overall, this is an attractive book and the editor is to becomplimented on bringing it to publication while the liter-ature citations are still reasonably up-to-date. This is not easyin such a rapidly developing Ðeld.

D.M. Ingram

11997 SCI. Polymer International 0959-8103/97/$17.50 Printed in Great Britain(