Conducting nanocomposite systems

In order to create nanocomposite materials, well-defined nanometric objects are embedded or connected together. Functional organic molecules bound to these inorganic objects modify their colloidal behavior as well as enlarge their applications. Hybrid nanocomposites are materials that contain molecules (guests) incorporated into host lattices. The hosts include both natural materials and compounds prepared by various synthetic techniques and possessing well-defined intercalation properties. This chaper discusses the hybrid inorganic-organic materials based on conducting polymers and inorganic components (such as clay, carbon materials, metal oxides). The recent developments in the four most common conducting polymers, namely polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly(N-vinylcarbazole), polythiophene, and their derivatives with respect to synthesis methods, types of host materials and applications have been reviewed.