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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Researchers have developed an ultra-thin plastic that allows an electrical charge to pass through it at speeds never before seen, a discovery that could dramatically drive down the cost of flat-panel monitors and other devices.
The plastic, which resembles cellophane when applied to electronic components, could one day replace the chemicals used to manufacture monitors and so-called radio frequency identification chips, which are used to keep track of store inventories, fleets of trucks and herds of cattle.
Researchers have long searched for alternatives to the silicon-based material used in today's devices. The plastic material, known as liquid-crystalline polymers, have been viewed as a key contender, but until now electrical charges haven't been able to travel through it at speeds required by electronic devices.
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