A great step in the path to synthetic skin
Researchers have found a new type of material that allows it to act as skin, only better, they used a plastic which contains long chains of molecules that are joined by hydrogen bonds. This bond allows the molecules to be broken apart, and when reconnected they will reorganize themselves and restore its original properties. This allows for the plastic to be cut in half and then rejoined with slight pressure and within a few seconds retain 75% of its original strength and conductivity, and in just 30 minutes will return to 100% of its original state. “What’s more, the same sample could be cut repeatedly in the same place. After 50 cuts and repairs, a sample withstood bending and stretching just like the original.”
The next step they took was to add nanoparticles of Nickel into the material. Adding Nickel allowed the material to be a conductor and allowed it to carry a current. The result is a material sensitive enough to sense even a handshake. The material also has the ability to sense flexion which will be important in creating the next generation of prosthetics. It would allow the prosthetic to register the amount of bend in a joint. This material, if further developed, could lead to vast improvements in medical technology!
Pretty cool stuff!!
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