What does quantum Tunnelling composite do?
Quantum-tunnelling composite (QTC) is a flexible polymer which contains tiny metal particles. It is normally an insulator but if it is squeezed it becomes a conductor. QTC can be used to make membrane switches like those used on mobile phones, pressure sensors and speed controllers.
What is QTC made of?
QTC is a material made from particles of a metal (nickel) embedded in a polymer. Its resistance changes dramatically when it is compressed. Uncompressed, it is an almost perfect electrical insulator. When a force is applied, it conducts as well as a metal.
What is QTC technology?
QTC® is the acronym for “Quantum Tunnelling Composite”. Put simply, QTC changes its electrical resistance based on changes in applied force. The more force the less resistance. Quantum tunnelling adds a level of control, reliability, and range to create a real-world touch experience that otherwise would not exist.
How does quantum tunneling happen?
Tunneling is a quantum mechanical effect. A tunneling current occurs when electrons move through a barrier that they classically shouldn’t be able to move through. Quantum mechanics tells us that electrons have both wave and particle-like properties.
How is quantum tunneling composite made?
Quantum tunneling composites are combinations of polymer composites with elastic, rubber-like properties elastomer, and metal particles (nickel). Due to a no-air gap in the sensor contamination or interference between the contact points is impossible.
Is it theoretically possible to walk through walls?
“It’s absolutely absurd,” says Reed College physics professor David Griffiths. “Nobody’s ever going to walk through a wall.” Electrons break this rule of classical physics all the time, and sometimes even atoms can. It’s called quantum tunneling, and Griffiths explains it with the example of a roller coaster.
What makes quantum tunneling composite a smart material?
Can quantum tunneling be faster than light?
This means that with a sufficiently thick barrier, particles could hop from one side to the other faster than light traveling the same distance through empty space. In short, quantum tunneling seemed to allow faster-than-light travel, a supposed physical impossibility.
When was the first quantum tunneling composite made?
First produced in 1996, the Quantum Tunneling Composite (QTC) is a composite material made from micron-sized particles conductive filler particles combined with a non-conducting elastomeric binder, typically silicone rubber.
How does quantum tunneling in an insulator work?
It utilizes quantum tunneling: without pressure, the conductive elements are too far apart to conduct electricity; when pressure is applied, they move closer and electrons can tunnel through the insulator.
How are quantum tunneling composites used in clothing?
QTC has been implemented within clothing to make “smart”, touchable membrane control panels to control electronic devices within the clothing, e.g. mp3 players or mobile phones.
What kind of composites are used in QTc?
Currently, there is restricted use of QTC due to its high cost, but eventually this technology is expected to become available to the general user. Quantum tunneling composites are combinations of polymer composites with elastic, rubber-like properties elastomer, and metal particles (nickel).