Friday, July 1, 2011

Silver Ballpoint Pen Can Draw Functional Electronic Circuits on Paper

[Found this recently new invention that is just amazing. You gotta read this.]

["A plain rollerball pen filled with a conductive ink can draw circuits on a sheet of paper, where they can provide power to an LED display and an antenna, among other potential uses.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign made a new type of liquid metal ink that stays liquid in a pen, but dries after being applied to paper, wood or another surface. The liquid consists of silver nanoparticles that were reduced in size using acid, and then modified with cellulose so the fluid has a more inky viscosity. Draw a line, and when it dries, the result is a silver wire that can conduct electricity. Researchers built an LED display with their school’s initials, UIUC, and the lovely sketch below depicting a house and trees. The ink serves as wiring for the LED mounted on the roof of the house, and it’s powered by a five-volt battery connected to the edge of the painting, according to a UI press release."
"While 3-D printers can also create customized circuitry, a handheld pen is a cheaper, more portable method, materials scientist Jennifer Lewis said. There’s no software required — just a steady hand. The pen would enable circuits to be drawn on small, oddly shaped surfaces, and it can work as fast as someone can move his or her hand."]


The ink research, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, was described in an early online version of the journal Advanced Materials.

Source: All sources POPSCI, US Department of Energy,

63 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's really cool tech.

Anonymous said...

awesome
loved these lights

Miguel Sanchez said...

That's crazy, I didn't know you could do this. I would love one of these.

GMSoccerPicks said...

whaaaat thats fcking crazy, i want one of those RIGHT NOW.

Waffles13 said...

Saw this earlier today. Looks cool as shit.

Now I just need to learn how complex circuitry works.

Unknown said...

Lol Whuu ??? This is awesome haha, how do i obtain one ?

breffmint said...

That's really cool!

Al3xaG said...

Wow, that could give really cool effects to sketchs

joseph said...

Oh my god, thats just awesome. I wonder how it will cost

Braden said...

That is unreal. I am just imagining a bunch of artists working together to create a sketch that is really a set of complex circuitry. Or like an underground auction selling paintings that really get hooked up to your computer and contain information or something.

Daily Car Reviews said...

wow thats some coool stuff, whats the price?
thanks +1

Red said...

This is amazing, and the chemistry behind it sounds fascinating!

great post!

also woot U of I

Unknown said...

Damn nature, you scary.

All jokes aside, man technology is cool.

JWilliams said...

Wow, cool stuff!

Anonymous said...

Nice post, I like your blog.
Keep up the good work!
+Follow

Alunith said...

lol, nice stuff!

HeadAche01 said...

Nice one, never heard that before, good.

GMSoccerPicks said...

Thats seriously amazing, i want one NOW. +1 follower

Unknown said...

Me again, technology is still cool.

Jessica Thompson said...

That amazing! Followed!

Unknown said...

this is amazing... thanks for the up date

John said...

That's actually really good, might be a bit pointless, but never the less still looks fun.

braumaman said...

That's pretty pro.

Gusman said...

I want i lose.

Amazing post, +following you for the great job !

Keine Scheisse said...

Woohaa!! Looks really cool

TIMMYTHEROBOT said...

that's pretty damn awesome

Shaw said...

Technology never ceases to amaze me

Anonymous said...

Nice post, I wanna see more of them

Freebies said...

omg i want one! thats sick. +1 follower! i wanna see more.

David said...

really neat, +followed

Ready to Grow said...

I want one! cool stuff

thomau5 said...

the stuff that comes out these days never ceases to amaze me. who would of thought of making a wire with the liquid of a pen

Rlx said...

Thats really cool!

krgrief said...

Wow. That is crazy man. Thanks!

Some Guy said...

i hope they start selling it in stores

ToDecomposeDude said...

Followed. This is awesome :D

Neon said...

Awesome
+followed

DIYgaming said...

I want one... right now

Voice of Reason said...

nice, think I first read about this on wired though - but nice blog and cool topic(s) +followed

Aesthetikos said...

Technology these days... Awesome...

todd said...

now.... that's..... cool...............

Triper said...

Good looking.

Anonymous said...

This looks so... futuristic! I like it.

Daily Car Reviews said...

beautiful!

Scrubby Bear said...

Amazing inventions these days!+followed

Sub Radar (Mike) said...

Absolutely amazing! I'm glad all the fancy future techs are streaming in, i'm not getting any younger...

Alessandro said...

interesting stuff, it can have many uses in the electronic field

LaezE Boy said...

wow, I've never heard of this stuff before

MrCoolPants said...

Where do you buy these :D? +follow

VBL said...

LOL Amazing stuff.
Followed.

Unknown said...

that would be the coolest thing ever to play around with!

follow me back!

Opchik said...

Nice stuff, but i still dont understand how it works
Follow your blog

WhitUK said...

lol thats pretty crazy stuff, following this blog keep it coming !

riesa said...

much easier than making circuits on copper board (;

Anonymous said...

Certainly makes sense... the charge merely needs a conductive material to travel. Can't wait to see all the fun things that happen with this!

RolandoMota123 said...

Cool Story Bro.

Mark said...

Those are really cool :)

TheCostOfCats said...

Hahaha! Not the most useful thing I've ever seen, but pretty darn neat!

Vandal said...

Damn that's so cool!

B-squared said...

that's awesome. some cool drawings could be done with that.

Rob said...

Lol, I want to write "a@@hole" with flashing lights and stick it to my professors back!

Anonymous said...

Seen this somewhere else, its pretty neat.

Unknown said...

Whoa! That's neat! What is it they have in the ink I wonder?

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