The picture on the right of Albert Einstein may not look remarkable, but it’s actually an electrically conductive image printed on regular printer paper with carbon nanotube ink. Using an off-the-shelf inkjet printer, scientists have developed an easy technique to print patterns of carbon nanotubes on paper and plastic surfaces. Carbon nanotubes have fascinated researchers with their high strength, low weight, and excellent conductivity since their discovery in 1991. Most current techniques for patterning nanotubes have required the use of expensive equipment, but this new inkjet printer technique may allow nanotubes to be easily deposited on various surfaces. Since nanotubes are good conductors, the printed images are able to conduct electricity, which opens up new possibilities in the field of flexible electronics. Some scientists are thinking of printing electronics onto cloth, allowing people to actually “wear” a battery or a cell phone!

Source:Nanotube ink: Desktop printing of carbon nanotube patterns