Clear conductive nail polish could turn long nails into touchscreen styluses
A Centenary College undergraduate, with a chemist supervisor, developed a clear, non-toxic conductive nail polish by combining ethanolamine and taurine to allow long fingernails to register on capacitive touchscreens. While a doped blob can be detected by a touchscreen, a thin layer currently doesn’t reliably activate the screen and ethanolamine evaporates quickly, limiting use to a few hours. The researchers are continuing to test other compounds to create a practical, commercially viable formula and address issues like toxicity and shade range.