Polymers are long-chain molecules that occur naturally, but are now mostly synthesized. Plastics are arguably, the most
important materials of today. Materials have been so important to civilization that entire eras have been named for them; the Stone Age, Bronze Age, etc. From a materials perspective, we are still in the Plastics Age and the day will come when we have plastic (organic) electronic devices in polymer enclosures on plastic circuits in plastic housings. Ironically, many who worked with polymers 20 or 30 years ago were told, and many believed, that the golden age of polymers had passed because all of the basic polymers had been invented. How wrong! Fundamentally new polymers continue to be invented, innovative processes are still being implemented and imaginative new products come to the market every month. Much of emerging Nano-electronics is based on organic, polymer-like structures that may some day replace wires and silicon transistors. Although electronics has been considered the leading edge of technology, this field is far behind in the adoption of modern polymers except for the housing, cases and enclosures that hold the electronics products.