DailyTech has a piece about a fascinating phone recycling technology that Nokia has developed for “deconstructing” old phones. Normally, when phones are reclaimed, it takes several minutes to take a phone apart to recycle its components. This tech would do it, hands-off, in two seconds, using heat. The technology to enable this uses Shape-Memory Alloy. Application of high heat (between 60-150C) causes the SMA to “actuate” and release the parts. Nokia insists this wouldn’t lead to cell phones that reduce themselves to a pile o’ parts in a hot car.
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