Researchers Turn To Silk For Flexible E-Devices

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Researchers Turn To Silk For Flexible E-Devices

Posted by timothy on Thursday March 3, 2011 @10:05PM from the driving-up-lingerie-prices-worldwide dept.

angry tapir writes "Researchers at a Taiwan university say they have found a way to use silk membranes in flexible electronic devices and started talks with manufacturers about adopting the unusual but cheap material. After less than two years of study motivated by news that silk had untapped properties, an engineering professor and two post-graduate students at Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University figured out how to use the soft, low-cost material for flexible e-book readers, LED displays and radio-frequency identification tools."

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Can't wait by Datamonstar · 2011-03-03 22:19 · Score: 4, Funny

I can see it now: my wife comes home from shopping, telling me "Hi, Honey, I just got something made of silk and I'm about to the bedroom and get into it. I bull rush in there and find her on the bed reading some trashy novel. Meh!

--
The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.
1. Re:Can't wait by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 05:06 · Score: 0
  
  You aren't married, are you? it never even looks close to that... you really don't want to know what your wife bought...
2. Re:Can't wait by davester666 · 2011-03-04 05:58 · Score: 1
  
  I new this was completely fictional when he wrote "my wife"...
  
  --
  Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
3. Re:Can't wait by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 06:07 · Score: 0
  
  Meh!
  "Meh" can't be used as an exclamatory whine - have some class!
4. Re:Can't wait by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 07:16 · Score: 0
  
  You must be knew here.
5. Re:Can't wait by davester666 · 2011-03-04 07:22 · Score: 1
  
  The '' on my neeboard doesn't work, you insensitive clod!
  
  --
  Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
6. Re:Can't wait by Datamonstar · 2011-03-04 14:03 · Score: 1
  
  Well then... Bah! My good ol' stand-by..
  
  --
  The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.
This is good by Picardo85 · 2011-03-03 22:24 · Score: 1

I hope this will allow us to integrate electronics into the clothes in a better way. It's also in accordance with the FOTM sustainable development since it's all natural and probably bio-degradable. Hope they get a lot of $$$ to continue their research in the area.
Static by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-03 22:35 · Score: 0

Wait.. doesn't silk cause a lot of static electricity?
1. Re:Static by sgbett · 2011-03-03 23:00 · Score: 2
  
  self powered too?! its the future!
  
  --
  Invaders must die
Velvet by MrEricSir · 2011-03-03 23:13 · Score: 1

But what about velvet? Velvet is often made from silk.
When will I be able to ensconce myself in velvet e-devices?

--
There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
1. Re:Velvet by Khyber · 2011-03-03 23:25 · Score: 1
  
  As soon as we handle the inherent ESD issue involved with such a material, I'd wager.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
2. Re:Velvet by ciderbrew · 2011-03-03 23:46 · Score: 2
  
  Velvet Hmmm - I want to dress up like a techno fop too. I'd be a digital dandy in the latest High tech hosiery. I be the talk of the town and all of the there Lundon will adore me.
3. Re:Velvet by Noughmad · 2011-03-04 00:45 · Score: 1
  
  George? Is that you?
  
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  PlusFive Slashdot reader for Android. Can post comments.
4. Re:Velvet by Crudely_Indecent · 2011-03-04 01:39 · Score: 1
  
  As soon as we handle the inherent ESD issue...
  Or learn to harness its energy potential!
  Just think, for the small price of wearing special underwear, you would never need another battery! Nevermind that the static built up in the underwear would significantly reduce your sperm count...
  
  --
  
  "Lame" - Galaxar
5. Re:Velvet by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 01:45 · Score: 0
  
  They seek him here, they seek him there,
  His clothes are loud, but never square.
  It will make or break him so he's got to buy the best,
  'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  And when he does his little rounds,
  'Round the boutiques of London Town,
  Eagerly pursuing all the latest fads and trends,
  'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
  He thinks he is a flower to be looked at,
  And when he pulls his frilly nylon panties right up tight,
  He feels a dedicated follower of fashion.
  Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
  There's one thing that he loves and that is flattery.
  One week he's in polka-dots, the next week he is in stripes.
  'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  They seek him here, they seek him there,
  In Regent Street and Leicester Square.
  Everywhere the Carnabetian army marches on,
  Each one an dedicated follower of fashion.
  Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
  His world is built 'round discoteques and parties.
  This pleasure-seeking individual always looks his best
  'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  Oh yes he is (oh yes he is), oh yes he is (oh yes he is).
  He flits from shop to shop just like a butterfly.
  In matters of the cloth he is as fickle as can be,
  'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  He's a dedicated follower of fashion.
  - Raymond Douglas "Ray" Davies
6. Re:Velvet by squidflakes · 2011-03-04 03:17 · Score: 1
  
  That's desperate, but not serious mate.
Solid slurm ? by psergiu · 2011-03-03 23:24 · Score: 2

So the future of e-book readers is a substance squeezed from the behind of a mulberry leaf-eating worm ? :-)

--
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1. Re:Solid slurm ? by Jarik+C-Bol · 2011-03-03 23:37 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Yeah, and as such, I had always been under the impression that silk was NOT a low cost product, based on the time and effort required to harvest it, and form it unto a usable sized piece of cloth.
  
  --
  I've decided to Diversify my Holdings. I've divided my cash between my left and right pockets, instead of all in one.
2. Re:Solid slurm ? by Dr.+Tom · 2011-03-03 23:41 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  they start with something called Liquid Silk. Try doing a google search for that ...
3. Re:Solid slurm ? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 00:17 · Score: 1
  
  Damn it! Just got trolled into looking at anal lube while at work. Curse you Dr. Tom.
4. Re:Solid slurm ? by kj_kabaje · 2011-03-04 00:42 · Score: 1
  
  "Silk, a natural protein fiber normally used in textiles, can be easily purchased on the island. The material would cost about NT$10 (about US$0.03) per device."
5. Re:Solid slurm ? by shawb · 2011-03-04 00:55 · Score: 2
  
  Depends on your definition of low cost. If you are comparing it to cotton, then it's moderately pricey. If you are comparing it to carbon nanotubes... then it's an outright bargain.
  
  --
  I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
6. Re:Solid slurm ? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 00:59 · Score: 1
  
  Silk work silk is made of two proteins. sericin (basically a glue, water soluable) and Fibroin. To make "liquid silk" you just boil the cocoons to get rid of the sericin and then dissolve the fibroin in lithium salts or maybe CaCl?
  Refs:
  (http://www.silk-protein.com/silk-sericin.html)
  Tissue engineering and silk:
  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2737252/?tool=pubmed
7. Re:Solid slurm ? by Kyont · 2011-03-04 02:22 · Score: 1
  
  So the future of e-book readers is a substance squeezed from the behind of a mulberry leaf-eating worm ? :-)
  Yes, but enough about Michael Crichton's latest...
  
  --
  You shall see a cow on the roof of a cotton house.
8. Re:Solid slurm ? by hey! · 2011-03-04 02:41 · Score: 1
  
  Depends on what you compare it it. A 100mm (roughly 4 inch) wafer of pure silicon could cost as much as $500 in single quantities for certain grades. That's certainly far more expensive than raw silk, although one must consider the cost of preparing the raw silk to be suitable for use in electronics.That's bound to be expensive in small quantities, but reduce itself greatly as the scale of the process increases.
  
  --
  Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
9. Re:Solid slurm ? by jgtg32a · 2011-03-04 08:40 · Score: 1
  
  We still use crushed to get red dye
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine#Production
Yay! by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-03 23:38 · Score: 1

Non-vegan computing!
1. Re:Yay! by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 00:04 · Score: 0
  
  Would that be storage of bits via exploded and unexploded cows?
ow my eyes by Canazza · 2011-03-04 00:12 · Score: 1

Anyone else read this as "Researchers Turned to Silk" like some kind of fabricy medusa?

--
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
babys; we're vast majority & have perfect karm by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 00:21 · Score: 0

score(:-)- mynutswon, diss them babys.
honestly? phewww
Frank Herbert would approve by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 00:27 · Score: 1

of worms becoming the most important creatures to our technological advancement.
I want my GLOBAL by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 03:53 · Score: 0

one step closer, maybe?
The skeptic's take... by lixee · 2011-03-04 07:41 · Score: 1

I just completed reading the article (the scholarly one in the Advanced Materials journal, not TFA) and I can't say it's *that* impressive. They do report a very high mobility value for pentacene (~23 cm2/Vs) allegedly because of very low trapping density at the semiconductor/dielectric interface. That part is nice. But silk as a dielectric...is not impressive. They report a capacitance in the nano F/cm2, whereas everybody using electrolytes as OTFT dielectrics report capacitances in micro F/cm2. And the speed of polarization is similar. Electrolyte-gated OTFTs use a double-layer (EDLC) to create a "supercapacitor" and can therefore be operated at lower voltages than the ones reported in this work. This is not /. worthy. If it was, the paper would be in Nature or Science, not Advanced Materials.

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