The latest technology will enable people to make a kind of plastic product which has the metal or even the superconductor feature. We generally think the electric conductivity of plastic is poor. And we use it as the insulating coating of the wire.
But the researchers of Australia find that when they cover the super thin metal film on the plastic layer and mix it on the high polymer surface, it will generate the conductive plastic film of cheap price, high intensity and good toughness.
The people who make the achievement are Paul Meredith and Ben Powell from the University of Queensland and Adam Micolich from University of New South Wales. Their result has been published on ChemPhysChem. The experiment is conducted by Andrew Stephenson who is the Doctor of the University of Queensland.
The ion beam technology is used to test the semiconductor in the wholesale microelectronics industry. But the trial to apply the tecnology application to the plastic film material is started in 1980s. There is little progress and until now we get the achievement.
Meredith said, "The work conducted by the group is to change the nature of the plastic film material with the ion beam technology and make it function as the metal to conduct the electricity. And it can even be changed to superconductor when there is zero resistance because of the low temperature."
In order to show the potential application value of the material, the group uses the material to make the resistance thermometer as to the industrial standard. Compared with the platinum resistance thermoter, the new material product shows the similar and even better performance.
"We almost maintain the full advantages of the high polymer-good toughness, high intensity and low cost. But at the same time, it also has the good conductivity. But its not the feature of the plastic." Micolich said, "The material opens a new field of the plastic conductor."
The Andrew Stephenson said the conductivity can be adjusted and set. It has wide application prospect. He said, "Actually, we can change the conductivity. When we make the material, we have 10 billion options in hand. We can make the nonconducting plastic or the plastic with the good conductivity."
The new material can be manufactured by the devices used in the microelectronics industry. And compared with the traditional polymer semiconductor material, the new material has the better inhibiting ability. Its the perfect combination of the modern and future technology.
