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Applications of Melanin |
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Melanin is the first known high conductivity semiconductor. Two main uses have arisen from this property, they are described below. |
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Bistable switch |
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Melanins can be made to 'switch' from being poorly conducting to a highly conducting state at low electric fields when a potential gradient is applied across the device. In synthetic melanins switching occurs reversibly and more efficiently than in inorganic equivalents and comparably well to some biological systems. |
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Energy Store |
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Electrical energy can be stored in a device formed of electrodes coupled with an oxidation-reduction polymer. When a current is applied to create a charge gradient across the polymer units, those at the positive end are oxidised and those at the negative end become reduced, thus storing the energy. |
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