Spray-on antennas could unlock potential of smart, connected technology

Nanowerk  September 21, 2018
Researchers at Drexel University developed a method for spraying invisibly thin antennas, made from MXene (titanium carbide), a two-dimensional, metallic material. It is stronger than metals, metallically conductive and can be dissolved in water to create an ink or paint. The exceptional conductivity of the material enables it to transmit and direct radio waves, even when it’s applied in a very thin coating. Even transparent antennas with thicknesses of tens of nanometers were able to communicate efficiently. By increasing the thickness up to 8 microns, the performance of MXene antenna achieved 98 percent of its predicted maximum value. They found it to be 50 times better than graphene and 300 times better than silver ink antennas in terms of preserving the quality of radio wave transmission. The technology could enable seamless integration of antennas with everyday objects which is critical for IoT… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE 

Using a conductive ink made from a type of two-dimensional material called MXene, developed at Drexel, researchers can “spray paint” antennas on a variety of surfaces. Credit: Image: Kanit Hantanasirisakul, Drexel University

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