New Material Could Dramatically Reduce The Cost Of Smartphones

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The new metal compound is up to 95 percent cheaper than the current market-leading material. Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock

When it comes to smartphones, tablet computers and television displays, one construction material dominates them all: Indium tin oxide (ITO). It has been used for the last 60 years, and is a key component for more than 90 percent of all such displays. But a potential competitor to ITO has just been discovered, one that is both highly transparent and extremely conductive. Its workings are detailed in the journal Nature Materials.