Reusable nanopaper created that can be written on with light and can withstand 80 erasure cycles

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To reduce the environmental impact of inkjet and laser printing substances and to help reduce deforestation, a team of scientists from Shandong University, China, UC Riverside and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed a new type of nanopaper that can be written on with light, that can be erased and reused up to 80 times. This invention uses special nanoparticles that can change their color under the influence of light, and thin coatings containing such nanoparticles can be applied to the surface of objects made of various materials. T
he nanoparticles used in paper change their color when exposed to ultraviolet light of a certain wavelength and brightness. And the process of erasing paper consists in heating it to a temperature of 120 degrees Celsius. And if a more heat-resistant and reliable material is used for the base of the paper than the current one, then it can serve almost forever. “We man
aged to develop a new class of photographic material that reversibly changes its color under the influence of light. And as a demonstration of the capabilities of this material, we created samples of rewritable paper that can be used many times and that does not require any ink or toner to print on “- says Yadong Yin, a professor at the University of California, -” This invention is massive economic and environmental benefits, it will allow us to eliminate the need to recycle and recycle millions of tons of waste paper. ”The new reusable paper is an excellent solution to problems where printed information is only relevant for a short time. It can be used for handwriting using a special light pen, and printers and plotters using such paper will be much simpler and cheaper than traditional devices using toner or ink. “We believe th
at rewritable paper can be successfully used for making newspapers , magazines, advertising posters and other printed materials, information on which has a short period of relevance, “says Yadong Yin,” In addition to paper, this technology can be used in many other areas, for example, in various sensors, indicators of product expiration dates and much more. “

Source: http://www.dailytechinfo.org