Mar 31 2010
Medicine bottles that alert you when a prescription needs updating and computer screens which can be rolled up to fit in a briefcase are a step closer thanks to research led by a De Montfort University (DMU) academic from Punjab, India.
Dr Shashi Paul, Head of DMU’s Emerging Technologies Research Centre (EMTERC) in Leicester, UK, has been working with a team of researchers, exploring the potential of gold nanoparticles and small molecules to create memory chips that are so flexible they can be used in paper and clothing.
Tests have shown the nanoparticles can be charged when an electric field is applied and retain that charge when the field is taken away.
This ability is essential for use in memory devices as it allows information to be stored in the form of charged and uncharged particles.
Nanoparticles are part of the growing research area of organic electronics which, unlike traditional electronics, uses carbon-based materials.
Organic electronics can be produced at low-cost, are able to be made in room temperature conditions, rather than using expensive techniques that involve high temperatures, and can be bonded to flexible materials, such as paper and very thin plastic – these materials are known as substrates.
Dr Paul said: “The use of gold nanoparticles could be an essential step towards the mainstream adoption of organic electronics, as they are commercially readily available and do not oxidise or rust, unlike other nanoparticles.
“Organic electronics can be applied to cheaper materials, such as plastic or paper, and can withstand being bent without breaking.
“This means they can be used to make foldable or rollable devices, or integrated into things such as clothing.”
EMTERC carries out internationally-leading research and teaching at the forefront of micro and nanoelectronics. The multidisciplinary team has expertise in materials, devices, circuitry and reliability.
Nanoparticles are 10,000 smaller than the diameter of human hair and by understanding their charging mechanism it is possible to make new types of computer memories, solar cells and other electronic devices.
Source: http://dmu.ac.uk/