Science Daily December 7, 2018
Commercial electronics operate between minus 40 and 85 degrees Celsius. A team of researchers in the US (Purdue University, UC Santa Cruz, Stanford University) created a material by blending a semiconductor, which can conduct electricity, and a conventional insulating polymer. They had to find the right ratio so that they merge nicely, and one doesn’t dominate the other. This results in an organized, interpenetrating network that allows the electrical charge to flow evenly throughout while holding its shape in extreme temperatures. The performance of these new polymer blend remained stable across a wide temperature range, from room temperature up to 220°C in thin-film transistors…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A new organic plastic allows electronics to function in extreme temperatures without sacrificing performance. Credit: Purdue University/John Underwood