DURHAM, UKAfter four years of research, scientists at the University of Durham claim to have created the first magnetic plastic that can be used in everyday products. The polymer, which exhibits magnetic properties at room temperature, represents a marked improvement over previous magnetic plastics that only functioned at very low temperatures.
The new polymer, called PANiCQ, consists of two compounds: polyaniline (PANi) and tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ). PANi is a metal-like electrical conductor that is stable in air. TCNQ has a propensity to form charged particles called free radicals.