Current trends in redox polymers for energy and medicine

Polymers with redox properties are electroactive macromolecules containing localized sites or groups that can be oxidized (loss of electrons) and reduced (gain of electrons). This review highlights trends in the chemistry, characterization and application of polymers with redox properties. In the first part, we overview the synthetic advances in the design of innovative redox polymers. Special attention is given to state-of-art techniques for the characterization of redox polymers and their important properties are also explained. The last part is devoted to the redox polymers applied in energy and medicine. First, the main redox polymers investigated in energy technologies such as batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells, biofuel cells or thermoelectric cells are reviewed. Second, the emerging applications of redox polymers in medicine technologies such as drug delivery, biosensors, actuators or smart surfaces are explained in detail.