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New ‘Miracle Material’ Could End Shattered Smartphone Screens Forever

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Despatch Thermal Processing Technology

Ever shattered or merely cracked your smartphone screen?

It seems inevitable, even with high tech phone cases for protection, however the days of shattered smartphone screens may soon be over.

A team of researchers from Belfast’s Queens University in the UK have developed what is being deemed a “miracle material”, which could result in tougher as well as lighter smartphones in the future.

In collaboration with researchers from Stanford University, the University of California and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, a material was created that is believed to be 200 times stronger than steel, comprised numerous chemicals and elements, namely graphene.

It is worth noting that C60, a carbon molecule utilized in the material may one day enable phones to be solar powered.

Dr Elton Santos of the university’s school of mathematics and physics said: “Our findings show that this new ‘miracle material’ has similar physical properties to silicon but it has improved chemical stability, lightness and flexibility, which could potentially be used in smart devices and would be much less likely to break.

“The material also could mean that devices use less energy than before because of the device architecture so could have improved battery life and less electric shocks.

“By bringing together scientists from across the globe with expertise in chemistry, physics and materials science we were able to work together and use simulations to predict how all of the materials could function when combined – and ultimately how these could work to help solve everyday problems.

“This cutting-edge research is timely and a hot-topic involving key players in the field, which opens a clear international pathway to put Queen’s on the roadmap of further outstanding investigations.”