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Flexible and resilient power supplies

10.10.2014

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have discovered that graphene can be used to create flexible and elastic power supplies that will be in demand in wearable electronics.

Scientists fastened pieces of graphene into a sheet and crumpled it, similar to how a sheet of paper is crumpled. "Crumpled graphene paper" has proven to be a suitable candidate for use in supercapacitors because it has a large surface area relative to the volume it occupies.

It is important that the "paper" is not damaged and does not lose its qualities even with significant deformation. For example, it can be stretched to 800% of its original size, or crumpled and straightened again 1000 times.

The developers confirmed the viability of their ideas in practice by making a prototype of an ionistor in which graphene electrodes were separated by a dielectric layer, the role of which was played by a hydrogel with suitable properties.
The new power sources could be inexpensive and easy to manufacture, the researchers said. In addition to supercapacitors, the described approach is also suitable for other flexible electronic components, such as sensors.

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This gene has over 270 copies in the human genome. At the same time, the number of copies in the genome of animals is the greater, the greater the degree of its similarity with humans. For example, the DUF1220 domain is encrypted 125 times in the chimpanzee genome, 99 times in the gorilla genome, 30 times in the monkey genome, and only one copy is present in the mouse genome.

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This discovery provides specialists with a new approach to diagnosing abnormalities associated with brain size. From a broader point of view, it opens up new avenues for studying the human brain and the incredible increase in its size and capacity that has occurred within a very short period from an evolutionary perspective.

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