It will be possible to repair the screen of smartphones thanks to a transparent and self-repairing material that can be activated electrically
The greatest fear for those who buy a new smartphone is to break or damage the display, especially considering the very high replacement costs. In the future, however, cell phone screens could be made from a material that can repair itself.
The credit for this discovery goes to a group of American scientists from the University of California’s chemistry department. The researchers have created a transparent compound, elastic and above all capable of automatically adjusting scratches and cracks on the display. Ideal, therefore, to be used to make the screens of smartphones. The idea, however, is not an absolute novelty. For years, in fact, numerous hi-tech companies, including LG, have been working on solutions of this kind. The self-repairing materials of the past, however, were not conductive, i.e. they could not be activated electrically. Translated means that it was impossible to use them on smartphones. The compound created by American chemists, however, is.
It fixes itself in 24 hours
According to the scientists who developed the material, the compound repairs itself by letting it “rest” for 24 hours at room temperature. Made through the use of special polymers, the self-repairing substance can actually be used, according to the American study, not only to make the screens of smartphones, but also in many other electronic and mechanical devices. In fact, researchers say that the material can be used to repair batteries, or the “muscles” of robots. The latter example is interesting in that the compound would act like human skin when it heals from a wound. And the way the material works is more or less similar.
The self-repairing material also has other advantages: it is durable and cheap. At this point, only one question remains: is it coming soon? American researchers predict its arrival on the market in less than three years. Until then you still have to be careful not to break the display of the smartphone. One tip: buy a good cover.