Finnish company Panipol (FIN-06101 Porvo; www.panipol.com), a spin-off of the former Neste empire, manufactures conductive films and packaging materials made from the so-called “organic metal” polyaniline. “Panipol” materials enable production of anti-static plastic packaging, such as that needed for electronic components. This can be done through binding into a polymer matrix (filling) or coating. The company says its polyaniline-based conductive polymers offer “clear benefits” over traditional plastics made conductive by the addition of fillers, as they form a conductive network. This allows conductivity to be precisely controlled over a wide range, improving phase compatibility and thus blendability with bulk polymers.

Panipol, which traces its development back to the Nobel prize winner Alan Heeger, last year acquired a licence for conductive polyaniline (“PaNi”) from Germany´s Ormecon Chemie (D-22949 Ammersbek; www.ormecon.de) headed by managing partner Dr. Bernhard Weßling. This paved the way for the commercialisation of the material.