Nanobuds Could Make Any Surface a Touchscreen

Dec-11-14 By incorporating carbon nanobuds into a flexible film, researchers have created a material that could make almost any surface touch-sensitive.

Current explorations into flexible touchscreens have focused on using carbon nanotubes, but the nanotubes do not form good electrical connections, and so do not conduct electricity well. By using carbon nanobuds instead of the conventional nanotubes, the team from the Finnish start-up Canatu was able to increase the electrical connections between the nanoparticles enough for touchscreen use.

The company's manufacturing process is also innovative, a shift from the standard, complex process that can damage the nanotubes. Instead, Canatu's films are made by converting carbon-containing gases into nanobuds and depositing them onto a flexible plastic material—a one-step process that reduces manufacturing costs considerably.

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[TECHNOLOGYREVIEW.COM]
[CANATU.COM]

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