Japanese scientists have developed a technique to transform a copper-based substance into a material that mimics properties of precious and pricey metals, such as gold and silver.
The new medium, made of copper nanoparticles (very small copper-based structures) has promising applications in the production of electronic devices that would otherwise depend on expensive gold and silver counterparts. It is also suitable in the fabrication of electronic components using printing technologies that are recognized as environmentally friendly production methods.
The study was published on January 29 in Scientific Reports, an online open access journal managed by Nature.
The development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly increased the demand for thin and wearable electronic devices. For example, IoT depends on communication between devices, which requires antennas that have so far required expensive gold and silver-based metal composites.
To date, existing techniques for the preparation of copper nanoparticles have not been ideal as they resulted in impurities attaching to the material. Since these impurities could only be removed via extremely high temperatures, copper nanoparticles that were created at room temperature were impure and thus could not solidify into usable parts. Until now, this has been one of the hurdles to creating a more cost-effective alternative to gold and silver parts in electronic devices.
The joint study between researchers at Tohoku University and Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd in Tokyo reports the successful synthesis of copper nanoparticles with the ability of solidifying at much lower temperatures while remaining pure. The team has altered the structure of the copper nanoparticles and rendered them more stable so that they do not degrade at low temperatures.
“Copper has been an attractive alternative material in the preparation of electric circuits. The most important part of using copper is altering it so that it solidifies at low temperatures. So far, that has been difficult because copper readily interacts with the moisture in the air and degrades, which turns into unstable nanoparticles. With the methods used in this study that alter the structure of the carbon and thereby making it more stable, we have successfully overcome this instability issue,” adds Kiyoshi Kanie, Ph.D., associate professor at the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials of Tohoku University.
The researchers hope to expand the application of their copper-based nanoparticles beyond just electronics. They believe that this material will be useful in other sectors as well. “Our method effectively created copper nanoparticle-based materials that can be utilized in various types of on-demand flexible and wearable devices that can be fabricated easily via printing processes at a very low cost,” Kanie adds.
Learn more: Copper-Based Alternative for Next-Generation Electronics
The Latest on: Copper nanoparticles
[google_news title=”” keyword=”copper nanoparticles” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Copper nanoparticles
- Towards Transparent and Antimicrobial Surfaces for Touch Displayson May 7, 2024 at 2:14 am
Researchers report the development of a durable and transparent antimicrobial surface containing copper nanoparticles. The nanostructured surface was obtained by dewetting ultrathin metal copper films ...
- Best Copper Frying Panson May 5, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Julia Child famously had 30 copper pots hanging on the wall of her kitchen in Cambridge, Mass., where three of her many cooking shows were filmed. “It did my heart good to see rows of gleaming ...
- Copper coating turns touchscreens into bacteria killerson May 3, 2024 at 2:22 pm
If there's one thing that needs to be antibacterial, it's the public touchscreen displays that everyone paws at with their filthy fingers. Well, help is on the way, in the form of a newly developed ...
- Nanostructured copper surface shows potential for transparent, antimicrobial surfaces in touch displayson May 3, 2024 at 8:25 am
The interest in antimicrobial solutions for personal and multi-user touch screens, such as tablets and mobile devices, has grown in recent years. Traditional methods like sprayable alcohols or wipes ...
- Oxygen-Free Copper Market worth $40.4 billion by 2029 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets™on May 1, 2024 at 3:00 am
Free Copper Market by Grade (Cu-OF, Cu-OFE), Product Form (Wires, Strips, Busbar & Rods), End-use Industry (Electronics ...
- Adequately stabilized and exposed Cu/CuₓO heterojunction on porous carbon nanofiberson April 29, 2024 at 11:14 am
Inexpensive and readily available copper-based catalysts are considered ideal for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to produce multi-carbon products. The presence of copper oxides is ...
- Copper’s record as a stock market and economic predictor is tarnishedon April 27, 2024 at 2:00 am
Copper’s recent surge to a two-year high is rekindling belief (and hope) in the urban myth that the metal is a good leading indicator for the U.S. stock market. But copper’s actual track ...
- Copper Still Isn’t a One-Way Beton April 25, 2024 at 2:19 am
Copper bulls are roaming the wilds of the London Metal Exchange again. The price for the 3-month contract, which dipped below $8000 a metric ton in late 2023 as Chinese growth sagged, closed above ...
- Copper prices today: Copper is up 1.98%on April 17, 2024 at 3:26 am
The price of copper opened today at $4.37 per pound, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 1.98% from the previous day’s copper price per pound and up 13.07% since the beginning of the year. The lowest ...
- Copper prices today: Copper is up 12.28% this yearon April 12, 2024 at 3:37 am
What is the price of copper per pound? The price of copper opened today at $4.34 per pound, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 1.55% from the previous day’s copper price per pound and up 12.28% since ...
via Bing News