Abstract
The transmission of information by electrical means has benefited from a rapid translation of scientific knowledge to practical application. Developments in materials science and engineering have played a central role in this evolution. Beginning with multipair cable, examples of materials innovation are described including aluminum conductors, plastic insulation, copper and plastic reclamation, millimeter waveguide and glass fibers for optical communications. Thus, advances in telecommunications have involved a broad spectrum of materials including metals, insulators and ceramics, as well as processes for their fabrication and reclamation.
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Tanenbaum, M. Materials—The Media and the Message. Metall Trans A 7, 483–495 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02643964
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02643964