Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • ITEC
    • Silicone
    • Online Exclusive
    • Latex
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Rubber Division IEC
    • Blogs
    • Sustainability
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
  • War in Ukraine
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Resources
    • Directory
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
  • Data
  • Events
    • RN Events
    • RN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • Rubber News M&A Live
    • 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference
    • 2022 International Silicone Conference
    • 2022 International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
    • 2022 Women Breaking the Mold
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
March 24, 2017 02:00 AM

Researchers bring 'Thubber' to life

Miles Moore
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Carnegie Mellon University
    Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed breakthrough rubber technology, branded "Thubber."

    PITTSBURGH—"Flubber" was just a joke from the Walt Disney Studios. But "thubber," a thermally conductive rubber material for making soft, stretchable machines and electronics, is now a reality.

    Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, led by mechanical engineering associate professors Carmel Majidi and Jonathan Malen, gave the nickname to an electrically insulating composite that offers what they said is an unprecedented combination of metal-like thermal conductivity and elasticity capable of stretching more than six times its initial length.

    The findings of Majidi and Malen were published the week of Feb. 13 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, according to Carnegie Mellon.

    The combination of thermal conductivity and elasticity allows for rapid heat dissipation in applications such as wearable computing and soft robotics, according to Majidi.

    Other possible applications for "thubber" include athletic wear (lighted clothing for runners), sports medicine (heated garments for injury therapy), advanced manufacturing, energy and transportation, Majidi said.

    With the development of "thubber," high-power devices no longer have to be affixed to rigid, inflexible mounts, according to Carnegie Mellon. Stretchable mounts for LED lights are now possible, as are computer processors that enable high performance without overheating in applications that demand flexibility, it said.

    The fabrication of "thubber" works with any soft polymer, but Carnegie Mellon mainly has used silicone in its research, as well as some polyurethane, according to Majidi.

    The key ingredient in "thubber" is a suspension of non-toxic liquid metal microdroplets, Majidi said.

    "The crucial point is that the metal alloys are non-toxic," he said. "We prepare the alloys ourselves, but there are plenty of suppliers who sell them commercially."

    When the rubber is pre-stretched, the droplets form elongated pathways that are efficient for heat travel, according to Carnegie Mellon. The material also is electrically insulating despite the amount of metal, it said.

    To demonstrate the material's properties, the researchers used a strap of it to mount an LED light around a jogger's leg, the university said. The "thubber" dissipated the heat from the LED, which otherwise would have burned the jogger, it said.

    The researchers also created a soft robotic fish with a "thubber" tail that needed no conventional motors or gears, the university said.

    The next phase of the research will involve developing a variety of "thubber" that emphasizes the material's electrical conductivity, according to Majidi.

    "It will depend on the elastomers we use and the metal weight fraction," he said.

    Carnegie Mellon applied for a provisional patent on "thubber" a couple of years ago, and recently filed for a full patent, according to Majidi.

    "It takes years to obtain a patent, but the application still allows us to license the technology through our Technology Transfer Office," Majidi said. Several organizations already have expressed interest, he said.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    One killed, two injured in shooting at WeatherTech facility
    2
    H.M. Royal enters exclusive deal as OCSiAl's U.S. distributor
    3
    Bridgestone opens $21 million race tire plant, boasts guayule-based Firehawk
    4
    Michelin worker dies at Nova Scotia tire plant
    5
    Michelin ready for more electric vehicles in market
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • ITEC
      • Silicone
      • Online Exclusive
      • Latex
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Rubber Division IEC
      • Blogs
        • Products
        • Wacky World of Rubber
      • Sustainability
    • War in Ukraine
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Resources
      • Directory
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Data
    • Events
      • RN Events
        • 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference
        • 2022 International Silicone Conference
        • 2022 International Tire Exhibition & Conference (ITEC)
        • 2022 Women Breaking the Mold
      • RN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • Rubber News M&A Live
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION