Bendable smartphones will no longer be a thing of science fiction. Scientists have developed a partly organic semiconductor that can efficiently convert electricity into light paving the way for bendable phones. The invention was made by researchers from Australian National University (ANU) and further paves the way for sustainable recycling of smartphones. The compound is thin and flexible allowing manufacturers to use it making bendable phones. The organic compound has a thickness of just one atom, and is made of up carbon and hydrogen. It’s only a part of the semiconductor developed by the scientists though. Since the semiconductor is made of semi-organic compounds, it’s biodegradable and can be easily recycled, promising a drastic reduction in e-waste. Presently, e-waste accounts for one of the largest cause for environmental damage as harmful metals like mercury, cobalt, etc. end up in landfills, waterbodies and the likes since they cannot be recycled. The researchers note that from the experiments conducted using the new hybrid compound, the new semiconductor has been found to be much more efficient as compared to conventional semiconductors made of inorganic materials like silicon. The researchers developed the material molecule by molecule, much like how 3D-printing works. The process is known as chemical vapour deposition. If the material turns out to be commercially viable, we might soon see a new era of smartphones that are flexible and bendable, but more importantly, one that doesn’t leave a nasty polluted footprint on the environment.
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