The Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry has discovered that potassium sorbate (additive E202) can be used in heat-sensitive elements and memory devices, the Ministry of Education and Science press service reported.
Salts of sorbic acid (sorbates) are used in the food industry as preservatives. However, their structure in the solid state and resistance to ultraviolet radiation and heating are still not well understood.
From an aqueous solution of potassium sorbate on a glass or silicon substrate, it is possible to obtain an oriented crystalline film of a fairly large area, which, upon reaching a certain temperature, reversibly expands strictly perpendicular to the substrate. The degree of expansion is fixed and determined by the crystalline structure of the material. An even more accurate response is obtained by changing the wavelength of the reflected light.
Research has shown that the transition of potassium sorbate is accompanied by a sharp increase in the thickness of the crystals. This leads to a change in their optical properties, including interference coloring.
In the future, scientists plan to develop a material based on thin polycrystalline films of potassium sorbate and study its thermal properties for use in heat-sensitive elements and computer memory.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that a new type of material for modern electronics was created in Moscow.
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