Metal containing polymers and interpenetrating networks

Metal containing polymers (MCPs) represent a very broad range of macromolecular compounds and polymeric materials that may carry the metal atoms in the main chain or in the side chains. MCPs are produced by direct polymerizationmpolycondensation, and polycoordination, as well as by the introduction of metallic species into preformed polymers. In most cases, the metal is attached to the polymer via chelation or coordination bonds, but many MCPs are also based on ionic and covalent polymer-metal links. MCPs are of considerable interest as new materials for emerging technologies in electronics, sensors, specialty coatings, and catalysis. Tjis chapter provides a general introduction to the subject of MCPs and discusses their synthesis and properties. Recent work in our laboratories on the synthesis and characterization of metal-containing interpenetreting plymer networks (MC-IPNs) is also discussed, and potential use of MC-IPNs as polymer-supported metal catalysts is illustrated.