TAGS: Electrical & Electronics
Concordia researchers from the OH Research Group in the Faculty of Arts and Science are looking at ways to “self-heal” cellphones, and their research could have broader implications as well.
Excellent Results at Room Temperature
The team created self-healing polymer networks through very simple synthetic routes. The developed materials demonstrated excellent results at room temperature.
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These materials can quickly repair damages and cracks due to the self-healing mechanism,” says Pothana Gandhi Nellepalli, Horizon postdoctoral fellow.
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One of the major difficulties in these types of projects is to maintain a balance between the mechanical and self-healing properties,” explains PhD candidate Twinkal Patel. This research stands out from similar work on the topic because of its focus on temperature.
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Our goal is to not compromise the toughness of the network while adding dynamic ability to self-heal damage and scratches. We focus on achieving complete healing of scratches at just room temperature. This feature sets our research apart from others.”
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As a result, these materials save consumer’s time and money while also extending the lifespan of the material used and reducing environmental burden.”
Future Use of Technology
This technology allows a device to store energy and convert it into electricity when repeated movement is applied — think of LED lights that are activated when you pass by.
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n the future, I would like to use self-healing polymer networks for improving the battery life of triboelectric nanogenerators,” Patel adds.
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This same technology could definitely be used to extend the lifespan of cellphone batteries. In the future, we would be able to charge them just by walking.”
Source: Concordia University
