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Green light for a new generation of dynamic materials

Green light for a new generation of dynamic materials

Written by David

July 17, 2019

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Researchers at QUT, UGent and KIT have pioneered a novel TAD/naphthalene-based light-stabilised dynamic material that is stable under visible green light and becomes fluid over time in darkness.

Developing synthetic materials that are as dynamic as those found in nature, with reversibly changing properties and which could be used in manufacturing, recycling and other applications, is a strong focus for scientists. In a world-first, researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Ghent University (UGent) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have pioneered a novel, dynamic, reprogrammable material – by using green LED light and, remarkably, darkness as the switches to change the material’s polymer structure, and using only two inexpensive chemical compounds.

One of these compounds, naphthalene, is well known as an ingredient in moth repellents. The new dynamic material could potentially be used as a 3D printing ink to print temporary, easy-to-remove support scaffolds. This would overcome one […]

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