The mysterious substance that conducts electricity .. a discovery that baffles scientists
Scientists at the University of Chicago have discovered a new material that can be produced similar to plastic, but conducts electricity like metal.
According to the report, which was published in the scientific journal Nature, the discovered material does not conform to the common molecular framework of other known conductors such as metals, as it includes a mixture of loose molecules.
The authors of the report described that the discovery defies the rules of properties that make a material capable of conducting electricity, as quoted by the UPI news network.
Assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Chicago and lead author of the study, John Anderson, said there was no strong theory that could explain the new material's ability to conduct electricity.
Anderson added: “One hypothesis is that matter forms in layers. And when these layers rotate, they become turbulent, and the electrons can still move in any direction as long as the layers come into contact, and the result is ultimately the conduction of electrical energy.”
Unlike conductive metals, which require heavy work including smelting and forging to make them conductive, this new material can be manufactured relatively easily under simple conditions, opening the door to new innovations.
source :websites