openMaterials

University of Illinois researchers explain how they make their conductive ink on this step-by-step tutorial. (via Boing Boing)

UV reactive materials, which initially have an off-white appearance, change to bright colors when exposed to UV rays (sunlight or a UV lamp) and revert to their original pale color when away from UV light. The basis for these materials are photochromic pigments which can be mixed with an acrylic base and then applied as [...]

More interesting news from Stanford University’s research on carbon nanotubes, via a Printed Electronics World article: Ordinary textiles could be transformed into batteries that hold up to three times more energy than a mobile phone battery, by simply dipping them into nanoparticle-infused ink. Conventional batteries are made by coating metallic foil in a particle slurry and [...]

Teaching Resources at Middlesex University (MUTR) is a UK-based online store with a mission to support technology teachers. They provide wonderful materials at affordable prices: from expancel, carbon nanotubes, SMAs, SMPs, photochromic and thermocromic materials, paper-making sets, to motors, solar panels, electronic components, as well as traditional materials such as paper, wood, and metal - [...]

Shi Yuan’s creative wallpaper incorporates thermochromic paint that changes color as the temperature rises. The sequence below shows how it reacts to heat coming from the radiator (via dornob). Yuan’s calendar uses this same material to make the date fade away as day turns into night.

Using conventional screen printing techniques Dai Nippon Printing in Japan have developed a way of using light emitting inks that can be printed on a range of different surfaces, including paper and fabric. The ink works with a lumniescent get which emits bright light when a voltage is applied to it. The technique generates pixels [...]