According to a recent report from the Physicist Organization Network on July 30th, American scientists have made significant progress in overcoming the challenges of producing electronic devices and solar cells from low-cost, durable, and non-toxic materials. This breakthrough brings us one step closer to affordable touchpads and solar panels that could cost just a few dollars. The findings were published in the latest edition of *Nature Communications*.
Uvi Kotschagan, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Minnesota and co-author of the study, stated, “This new technology could allow children in developing countries to access educational tools like touchpads for under $10. In the long run, the cost of home solar energy is expected to drop below that of fossil fuels.â€
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a unique type of ink called “electronic ink†using non-toxic silicon nanocrystals. This ink can be used in plastic printing to create low-cost electronics, making it a game-changer for sustainable tech development.
The lead researcher, Dr. Lance Weiler from the University of Minnesota’s Mechanical Engineering Department, explained that the process of manufacturing these devices is similar to printing numbers on a sports jersey, but it's far more complex. He noted that there are two major hurdles when working with this kind of silicon-based ink.
First, to ensure the ink has a long shelf life, scientists typically use organic molecules known as “ligands.†However, these molecules can leave behind harmful residues after printing, which degrade the quality of the thin film and make it unsuitable for electronic applications. Additionally, to improve conductivity, they often use a process called “doping,†which involves adding tiny amounts of germanium nanoparticles.
The new method addresses both issues. Scientists used a non-thermal plasma to generate silicon nanocrystals coated with chlorine atoms. These chlorine layers interact well with common solvents, eliminating the need for ligand molecules. Furthermore, the resulting thin films are naturally doped by the solvent, boosting their conductivity by up to 1,000 times.
Kotschagan added, “This research brings us closer to creating safer, more stable electronic inks using non-toxic materials. We hope this innovation will benefit people around the world.â€
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