Abstract: ABA triblock polymers, the A block being rigid having a transition away from its rigid phase above 70.degree. C., the B block being wholly or partly ion-coordinating, elastomeric or amorphous, the B/A block length ratio being greater than 1. When the B block is complexed with an ionic salt these polymers act as polymeric electrolytes which may be used in cells etc. Preferred polymers are those where HC.dbd.CH sites in the polybutadiene segment of a polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene polymer are replaced by --CH.sub.2 CH--X--(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m --R, where X is link, R is alkyl. A preferred salt is LiCF.sub.3 SO.sub.3.

Abstract: An ion conducting polymeric material characterized in that it comprises a mixture of at least three components (a), (b), and (c): (a) one or more structural materials, (b) one or more low mass plasticizers, and (c) one or more amorphous ion-solvating polymers and optionally containing (d) one or more ionic salts. Preferably the structural material is poly(ethylene oxide) and the ion-solvating polymer is an oxymethylene linked polyethylene glycol having a repeat sequence [(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.a CH.sub.2 O] where a has an average value of 4 to 15.

Abstract: An electrically conducting organic material for use on battery electrodes and the like, which comprises a polymer optionally doped with an n- or p-type dopant, wherein the polymer contains along its backbone at least one .pi.-conjugated linear unit of formula (i), wherein A is a divalent optionally-substituted conjugated organic cyclic group containing a .pi.-conjugated sequence of single bonds and at least two double bonds; B is a tetravalent optionally-substituted conjugated organic cyclic group containing a .pi.-conjugated sequence of single bonds and at least one double bond; A and B have the same molecular and structural formula except that they contain a different configuration of double and single bonds; Y is a trivalent group containing m linking atoms between adjacent groups A and B where m is an odd number from 1 to 11, provided that when Y contains more than one linking atom between said adjacent groups, the linking atoms form a .pi.

Abstract: A polymeric electrolyte comprising a solution of an ionic salt in a polymer X having a bacbone of formula --A--B--, where A is an oligomeric chain and B is a chain extender group, attached to oligomer A, containing one or more linkage atoms Z selected from Si, C and P, wherein the polymer contains oxymethylene units which are present in one or more of the polymer backbone, sidechains or crosslinks, such that where A is an oxyethylene oligomer of formula --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --O).sub.n, n is an integer from 3 to 10 and where the oxyethylene oligomer is contained in a sidechain or crosslink attached at B, n is from 2 to 25.