Does plastic conduct electricity?

Plastics are known for their very poor ability to conduct electricity; however, a new type of plastic has now been shown in studies to conduct electricity well. This means that plastics can now be made to either conduct electricity or not to conduct electricity.

The new type of plastic is being called a "radical polymer," according to Purdue University, and is one way to bring technology into a less expensive realm with transparent solar cells and lightweight batteries already being developed with the technology. With the radical polymer plastic, researchers were able to find a way to make sure that the oxygen atom had an unpaired electron in its outer shell, which enabled it to be a conductor.