While trying to invent a new type of glue, a Japanese student, Yu Yanagisawa discovered a new species of polymer glass that can heal itself when smashed. His accidental discovery could lead to reduced e-waste in the future. When trying to invent an adhesive, Yu Yanagisawa at the University of Tokyo discovered a polymer glass that is not only strong but can be compressed back together when shattered under manual compression for just 30 seconds. His work was published in the journal Science and picked up by news sources across the country as a potential solution to reduce e-waste. The material is currently under development at the university and could potentially be used in smartphones so that people will not have to replace broken screens. The material, polyether-thioureas, is a clear polymer that is electrically conductive, making it a viable material for touchscreens.
Read more: Self-Healing Polymer Could Lead to Higher Resiliency in Smartphones
thumbnail courtesy of machinedesign.com
