Now, plastics that conduct electricity

[theblackalchemist]

Now, plastics that conduct electricity

 

WASHINGTON: In an effort to combine the properties of plastics and metals, scientists have developed a composite material, which not only

conducts electricity like metals but is also light and inexpensive like plastics.

 

The plastic-metal hybrids will be used in the very places where plastic components are equipped with printed circuit boards, for instance in cars or aircraft.

 

Till date, it was only possible via the roundabout route of punching and bending metal sheets in an elaborate process in order to integrate them in a component.

 

The IFAM in Bremen has now devised a solution that combines the best of both worlds without requiring new machinery to process the components.

 

The greatest challenge for the researchers was getting the plastic to conduct electricity, but they overcame the difficulty by creating a composite material, in which the different materials are not merely slotted together or bonded, but mixed via a special process to form a single material.

 

The process produces a homogeneous and fine-meshed electrically conductive network. The composite possesses the desired chemical stability and low weight, coupled with the electrical and thermal conductivity of metals.

 

Now, plastics that conduct electricity-Health/Sci-The Times of India

[sherry]

I recently stumbled upon article suggesting a plastic sheet developed in Japan is capable of powering portable devices without the use of cables/wires. Wouldn't it be nice not to have unsightly and inconvient wires around the house? The article can be found at blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=558