Aromatic and heterocyclic polymers - what future?

This paper discusses the evolution observed in the field of high performanc e polymers and tries to forecast the future in different domains. The paper is divided into four sections: 1. From the 1960s to the 21st century. 2. W hat's new in chemistry and why? 3. What could be the future for high perfor mance polymers in structural applications, electrical industries, electroni c and electrooptical industries, membrane technologies, fuel cell membranes and other fields such as conductive polymers. 4. Concluding remarks.