nanowire tagged posts

Superconductors—materials that conduct electricity without resistance—are remarkable. They provide a macroscopic glimpse into quantum phenomena, which are usually observable only at the atomic level. Beyond their physical peculiarity, superconductors are also useful. They’re found in medical imaging, quantum computers, and cameras used with telescopes.

But superconducting devices can be finicky. Often, they’re expensive to manufacture and prone to err from environmental noise. That could change, thanks to research from Karl Berggren’s group in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

The researche...

Other teams have come up with similar devices before, although no one was able to create something that didn’t rely on exotic materials or a complex fabrication process. IBS team stayed away from carbon nanotubes and gold and looked at a more utilitarian option for their build material: thin slivers of silver nanowires ∼150 nm in diameter and ∼30 μm in length (a human hair ranges from 17 – 181 µm). The nanowires were mixed into a liquid elastic material which is both soft and stretchy when dry.

To ensure that the material remains tight on the target area while heating, the team devised a 2D interlocking coil pattern for the mesh structure. To make the mesh, the liquid mixture was poured into a shaped mold...