A group of researchers from a U.s. university has developed a method for making electrical connections in an electronic circuit to automatically repair. They make use of small globules of liquid metal.
A chip can be difficult, if not impossible, to be repaired, because he is so small. In addition, can chips hardly be opened, causing a single interruption of an electrical connection, a whole chip or the whole device worthless. Researchers from the university of Illinois have developed a method for such fractions automatically recover. The chips and other electronic circuits must be equipped with nanobolletjes filled with liquid metal.
The research builds on earlier experiments with nanobolletjes filled with carbon nanodraden, that the electrical conductivity had to restore. The new method, however, makes use of beads with galliumindium are filled, a metal alloy that melts at 16 degrees. The beads, with a diameter of 10 µm, were on gold electrodes applied. When the electrodes to brekens bent were, touched the capsules leak and came the liquid metal free.
The liquid GaIn metal filled then within a fraction of a second fracture, and restored the conductivity. The recovery is fully autonomous and in many cases would not even be noticed that a fracture has occurred, say the researchers. The researchers plan to use their technique also on batteries to adjust, to life and security, to increase.
