Nanoglue could be used to fabricate computer chips

Conventional glues form a thick layer between two surfaces. Prof Tingrui Pan’s nanoglue, which conducts heat and can be printed, or applied in patterns, forms a layer the thickness of only a few molecules.

According to a statement, the nanoglue is based on a transparent, flexible material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which, when peeled off a smooth surface, usually leaves behind an ultra-thin, sticky residue that researchers had mostly regarded as a nuisance.

Pan and his colleagues realised that this residue could instead be used as glue. They enhanced its bonding properties by treating the residue surface with oxygen.

Developed with support from the US National Science Foundation, the nanoglue could be used to stick silicon wafers into a stack to make new types of multi-layered computer chips.

Pan, professor of biomedical engineering, said he thinks it could also be used for home applications, for example as double-sided tape or for sticking objects to tiles. The glue only works on smooth surfaces and can be removed with heat treatment.