Conductive polymers and composite-based systems: A quantum leap in the drug delivery arena and therapeutics

Contemporary therapeutics focuses on localized, triggered, and controlled drug delivery, and hence the potential of electrically responsive drug delivery has been much implicated. Electrically conductive polymers and composites have gathered a lot of attention from both the research fraternity and the industry for a wide range of applications including drug delivery, biomedical implant technology, biosensor technology, as well and tissue engineering. These materials are organic in nature and have been appreciated for their conductivity comparable to that of metals as well as mechanical stability and ease of processing comparable to that of their organic counterparts. Additionally, these materials have the capacity to deliver drugs at an extensive range and in various concentrations. In this chapter, an avant-garde collection of electrically conductive polymers and composites has been discussed and their potential in various therapeutic domains has been elucidated. Current research and progress in their synthesis, structural and functional properties have been presented in conjunction with futuristic directions for clinical translations.