Tiny tech provides massive breakthroughs

New breakthroughs have been recently made on producing transient electronics under low-temperature and water-free conditions by Professor Huang Xian from Tianjin University.

Huang and his collaborating researcher, Professor Pan Heng from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, describe their discovery in papers titled Mechanically Milled Irregular Zinc Nanoparticles for Printable Bioresorbable Electronics and Low-Cost Manufacturing of Bioresorbable Conductors by Evaporation–Condensation-Mediated Laser Printing and Sintering of Zn Nanoparticles on Small. These were published in the peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal Small and Advanced Material, an international scientific journal covering materials science, respectively.

The paper Mechanically Milled Irregular Zinc Nanoparticles for Printable Bioresorbable Electronics was published in Small as a cover story. [Photo/Tianjin University]

Transient electronics have been widely used in implantable medical devices and environmental friendly products in recent years as they can both dissolve in people’s bodies and water.

However, such devices have not realized mass production because of the sophisticated production processes and rare materials needed to make them. Furthermore, such devices are sensitive to humidity and temperature, which adds to the difficulty of producing and storing them.

Huang and Heng used a fine-tuned ball milling approach to obtain irregular zinc nanoparticles that are suitable for printable electronics, and achieved highly conductive zinc patterns through photonic sintering.

These graphics outline the process used to achieve conductive patterns. [Photo/Tianjin University]

They also figured out a technique to achieve patterns through laser scanning, which can control the conductivity of patterns.

Both techniques will promote the application of bioresorbable electronics for use in healthcare, environmental protection, and consumer electronics by contributing various environmentally friendly sensors and circuits.