You can already find nanotechnology in ski wax, skin cream, tennis rackets and even your khaki pants.
So it's not too hard to imagine this tech bringing us a foldable iPad next.
A team of Duke University chemists say they've perfected a way to mass produce copper nanowires, a technology that could have a wide impact on the electronics industry. The wires are bendable, which means they could be used to produce flexible screens for devices like televisions and even iPads.
Their research is published online in the Advanced Materials.
The scientists actually grew the copper nanowires in a water solution. By adding different chemicals to the solution, they created tiny crystal "seeds," which sprouted individual nanowires. It's a method never seen before, they told Science.
The technology has the potential to revolutionize more than just TV screens. The researchers hope it can be used for the fast-growing solar industry, too. Because the nanowires can be mass produced, average homeowners might be able to finally afford greening their homes with devices like water heaters.
“We think that using a material that is a hundred times cheaper will be even more attractive to venture capitalists, electronic companies and solar companies who all need these transparent electrodes,” Benjamin Wiley, an assistant chemistry professor at Duke, told Science.
Wiley said that because the copper nanowires are flexible, they have the potential to be produced in large rolls. He's already applied for a patent for the process.
Image from Flickr.
Tags: Gadgets, Inventions, Materials, Materials Science, Nanomaterials
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