The world’s first practical plastic magnet has been created at the University of Durham, according to a report in New Scientist magazine.
After three months of mostly fruitless experiments, researchers at the U.K. university began to detect magnetism in a mixture of two plastic polymers, and the compound has now passed its first real test: It can pick up iron filings. Although magnetic plastics have been reported before, they have only worked at extremely low temperatures. The Durham compound–made out of a conductive plastic called emeraldine base polyaniline (PANi) and a free radical generator called tetracyanoquinodimethane–is active at room temperatures.
Source: c|net
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