Zero magneto resistance nanofiber phenomenon discovered

Korean scientists on Sunday said they have discovered a phenomenon that makes a plastic-based nanofiber into a zero magneto resistant material.

The team led by Park Yung-woo at Seoul National University said laboratory tests conducted on a single strand of polyacetylene nanofiber, a conductor of electricity, showed no magnetoresistance when it was subject to a powerful magnet that naturally creates a magnetic field.

The discovery marks the first time that scientists have discovered a nanofiber with such characteristics. The findings have been published in the latest issue of the Chemical Society Review journal.

Researchers claimed that with more work, the discovery could be applied to make switches that do not melt even if excessive amounts of electricity is allowed to run through it.

It can also be used to make magnetic levitation trains and in next generation memory disks with high storage capacity.

"This is the first documented case of zero magneto resistance being found in a plastic nanofiber," the physics professor at the Seoul-based school said.

He added that the discovery is noteworthy because it's different from the superconducting materials that become magneto resistance-free only in super cold temperatures. Maintaining super cold temperatures requires considerable amount of power and large amounts of support infrastructure.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which funded the research, said the light weight properties of polyacetylene nanofiber may be utilized to make highly efficient rechargeable batteries and portable flexible solar cells that can help worldwide energy conservation efforts.