Swiss researchers have developed a biodegradable screen. The new cellulose-based material developed by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) can be printed using a 3D printer. In a statement, Empa wrote of an “all-rounder”. The new material is not only biodegradable, but can also change color and conduct electricity.
“Sustainable materials that can be 3D printed are of great importance, also for applications in biodegradable electronics and for the Internet of Things,” says Gustav Nyström, head of Empa’s laboratory “Cellulose & Wood Materials” in the press release. In the future, the cellulose-based ink could find many very different applications. For example for temperature and deformation sensors, for food quality control or for biomedical diagnosis.
The researchers used hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as starting material, which is used as an additive in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food, among other things. When water is added to this substance, it forms liquid crystals that shimmer in different colors depending on the concentration and temperature.
The liquid was made electrically conductive by adding carbon nanotubes. This makes it possible to control the temperature, and thus the color of the liquid crystals, by applying an electrical voltage. To make this HPC mixture printable, the researchers working with Nyström also added cellulose nanofibers to the material.
Source: Krone
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