Every year, technological advances in the world of Smartphones bring more robust and updated models, with screens so large that cover almost the entire phone. This brings a risk by having to use materials that resist the knocks and falls to which the phones are exposed. In the near future this risk can be eliminated thanks to the creation of a self-repairing screens.
A group of scientists has been able to create a new type of screen capable of repairing itself, which would represent an important advance to finally put a definitive solution to one of the most common problems among users of any mobile device. Scientists at the University of California at Riverside developed a compound of elastic polymers and salts in their ionic form that will allow the screens of the cell phones to be authored to repair.

How self-healing screens work?

Scientists at UC Riverside point out that their invention is a rubber-like conductive material, which is composed of a stretchable polymer and an ionic salt, and which is capable of stretching up to 50 times its usual size, in addition to curing itself as If nothing had happened, even when split in two. It is a transparent material that can also be used to improve the performance of the battery of electronic devices, since it is the conductor of electricity. The self-repairing screen will only need about 24 hours without being touched and kept at room temperature to return to its original state. The applications of use of this material go beyond the screens, being able to be used in the robotic technology.
The chemical principle leading to the repair author is the interaction of dipole ions. The negative poles of the molecules attract the positive ions and the positive poles attract the negative ions achieved by a combination of forces between charged ions and polar molecules highly stable in electrochemical conditions and that makes possible the union of the material after its rupture. The parts of each molecule are joined by the forces of opposing charges.
It is the first time that it develops a material capable of repairing itself and conducting electricity, which allows it to be used on the screens of cell phones. Chao Wang, lead engineer of the project reported that in laboratory tests the compound was broken in 2 parts and in less than 24 hours was able to join again.
The idea of ​​self-repairing screens for phones is not new since in 2013 LG launched the LG G FLEX model, which has very competitive features, in addition to the ability to auto repair its casing in a few minutes. The ability to repair is achieved thanks to the use of a layer of poly resin that expands when any type of scratch occurs in the casing, covering it completely and leaving it intact.
Experts hope to have the material available for marketing in less than three years, resulting in a new range of Smartphones with self-repairing screens that would eliminate the need to replace screens and save money.