Dark stripes of silver nanoparticles show how a new stretchy material that’s simple to produce can conduct electricity.
University of Maryland

University of Maryland researchers have developed a spray-on material that stretches and reliably conducts electricity. The process could be used in electronic fabrics or artificial skin.

The flexible fibrous material joins together at junctions to make a spongy structure. By spraying a layer of silver on top of the spongy structure, generated silver nanoparticles provide pathways to carry electricity.

The silver’s many junctions ensure that the elastic technology can find a conductive pathway, even if the material is stretched. The material stretches to one and a half times its length, and retains its conductivity over 2,000 cycles of straining.

Using a simple spray apparatus resembling a paint gun, the researchers applied the conductors directly to an ordinary lab glove.

The researchers will next determine how the material could be used in prosthetics or robotics.

Source 

Topics:
Implants & Prosthetics Medical

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