Scientists Use Transparent Silver To Replace Traditional LCD Screens
Indium Tin Oxide, or ITO for short, is a ceramic material that you probably use every day. It’s what screens are made out of, from smartphones to televisions. ITO is perfect for this purpose, as it is not only transparent, but can also conduct electricity. To create ITO however, you would need Indium, which can’t be found directly in nature- It is created as a byproduct of synthesizing other metals. This is why the US mainly gets its Indium from Canada and China.
While Indium isn’t really that expensive, nor incredibly rare, Its supply is fixed; Which is why researchers have been looking for a good alternative for ITO for over a decade, with the main reason being that they need to reduce the use of materials that are relatively hard to find, and that in a world in which bendable displays are starting to be what’s in in technology right now, ITO isn’t very flexible, as it is brittle. This year, however. Researchers have finally found a good replacement for ITO–silver.
Researchers from Columbia University have created a material that can do a similar job as ITO, and it’s made out of a super thin layer of silver. Silver itself can conduct electricity, and is transparent when put in a thin layer.
The silver can’t be spread out on its own though, as it tends to clump together. However, they were able to work around this by mixing it with either copper or aluminum. “And then this magic happens,” says Jay Guo, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Professor at Columbia University. “Now you look at the film, it’s very smooth.”
Guo also stated that the synthesized material could also be used to create bendable displays, as silver is quite flexible, and can be put into plastic devices without needing to heat it up. “I think that this could have a very good use,” says Guo “Especially in the future, where more and more flexible devices are demanded.”
Their research has been published in the journal, Advanced Materials.
Rick Short Comment: I am an employee of the Indium Corporation.
I would like to address two points in your article that are stated incorrectly and that may cause confusion with your readers.
#1: You state, “… you would need Indium, which can’t be found directly in nature”
Indium is found directly in nature. It is a naturally-occurring element. It is associated with various other elements, such as copper and zinc. It is separated from these materials and refined into pure indium.
#2: You state, “While Indium isn’t really that expensive, nor incredibly rare, Its supply is fixed; Which is why researchers have been looking for a good alternative for ITO for over a decade, with the main reason being that they need to reduce the use of materials that are relatively hard to find.”
You are correct that indium is not rare. In fact, indium is more abundant in the Earth’s crust than is silver. But, you are misleading when you emphasize that its supply is “fixed.” All naturally-occurring elements supplies are fixed. Gold supply is fixed. Aluminum supply is fixed. Etc. There is no need for you to emphasize this in a manner that makes it appear to be unique to indium.
What you might have emphasized is the fact that indium is one metal element that is supported by a robust and highly-successful recycling program. This program extends the usefulness of indium, and makes it a very reliable and dependable resource.
I request that you correct these statements in this article to avoid the spread of misinformation to the scientific community.
You have my name and email should you desire more detailed scientific support for my positions.
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