New flexible, low-cost smartphone screens developed

Brittle, expensive smartphone screens may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to scientists who have combined silver and graphene to develop environment friendly, flexible displays that match the performance of existing technologies at a fraction of the cost. The new approach also promises devices that use less energy, are more responsive, and do not tarnish in the air. Indium tin oxide, which is currently used to make smartphone screens, is brittle and expensive.

The primary constituent, indium, is a rare metal and is ecologically damaging to extract. Silver, which has been shown to be the best alternative to indium tin oxide, is also expensive. Scientists at the University of Sussex in the UK combined silver nanowires with graphene – a two dimensional carbon material. The new hybrid material matches the performance of the existing technologies at a fraction of the cost.

“While silver nanowires have been used in touch screens before, no one has tried to combine them with graphene,” said Alan Dalton from the University of Sussex. In particular, the way in which these materials are assembled is new. “We float the graphene particles on the surface of water, then pick them up with a rubber stamp and …read more