Plastics unite to make unexpected ‘metal’
Both TTF and TCNQ are electrical insulators. But Morpurgo’s team found that a 2-nanometre-thick strip along the interface between the two crystals conducts electricity as well as a metal.
So it’s “metal” in the sense that it’s plastic, but conducts very well along the interface. Apparently using “conductor” in the title would have broken some journalistic creed. Why go for accuracy when you can have imagery?
Neat result, though.
http://www.lps.u-psud.fr/Collectif/gr_21/organiques_fichiers/image003.jpg
http://www.ipap.jp/jpsj/news/jpsj-nc_22-fig1.gif
The interface is “metallic” for resistance vs. temp as opposed to a semiconductor. Next step should measure contact effect vs. crystals’ orientation. Given the large number of charge-transfer organic conductors (doped and self-doping), contact conductivity is an exciting approach to 1-D and 2-D conductors (whisper superconductivity). Make two films, press them together, get more grant funding. Get chemistry out of empirical Pyrex and into theoretic stainless steel where it belongs.