Will polymer electronics change the electronics industry?

Polymer electronics forms a new and very promising technological area, which may pave the way to many new applications and products. The use of electroluminescent semiconductive polymers for emissive displays is already rather mature. At present, the first commercial products are ready to be launched. Polymer light-emitting diode based displays indeed will be the first polymer electronics products to reach the market. It is expected that the thin emissive displays, which can be realized with this new technology, will command an important place in the display market. The use of polymer transistors in ICs and in transponders, and as pixel switches for displays is still in its infancy. Applications have been demonstrated in a research environment, but significant effort is still required to address production issues and to demonstrate business opportunities. The current state of affairs is comparable with that at the beginning of the rise of the silicon-based IC industry, some 40 years ago. The application of polymers for low-cost electronic products, like labels and barcodes and for electronic paper, will lead to a family of very interesting new products, which will definitely change the electronics industry. New options for polymer electronics, e.g. their possible application for photovoltaics (e.g., in organic solar cells) and as sensors, and for solid storage, are just beginning to be explored. The answer to the question proposed in the title must therefore be yes.