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A Simple and Scalable Fabrication Method for Organic Electronic Devices on Textiles
Published on: March 13, 2017
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Conductance stable and mechanically durable bi-layer EGaIn composite-coated stretchable fiber for 1D bioelectronics
Gun-Hee Lee1,2,3, Do Hoon Lee1, Woojin Jeon3
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
Nature Communications
|July 13, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a new method for coating fibers with liquid metal particles (LMP), creating durable, conductive materials for flexible electronics. The process ensures stable electrical performance even when stretched or bent.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Deformable liquid metal particles (LMP) offer superior electrical properties and strain stability compared to rigid fillers.
- Current methods struggle to create compact, durable LMP coatings on fibers due to material incompatibility and processing limitations.
- Limited durability and initial conductivity of LMP hinder their broad adoption in advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a robust and scalable solution-based process for assembling mechanically durable and initially conductive LMP onto fibers.
- To overcome the challenges associated with conventional coating techniques for LMP.
- To enhance the electrical and mechanical properties of LMP-based fiber composites.
Main Methods:
- A novel shearing-based deposition technique was employed for polymer-attached LMP.
- A secondary coating of carbon nanotube (CNT)-attached LMP was applied to create a bi-layer structure.
- The process was validated on various fiber types to demonstrate versatility.
Main Results:
- The developed bi-layer LMP composite exhibits exceptional durability, electrical conductivity, and stretchability.
- The assembled LMP coatings are compact and robust, maintaining stable conductance under strain.
- The process ensures initial electrical conductivity, a key improvement over existing LMP limitations.
Conclusions:
- The proposed solution process enables the reliable and compact assembly of mechanically robust and initially conductive LMP on fibers.
- This manufacturing strategy significantly enhances the performance of 1D electronic materials.
- The developed technology is versatile, paving the way for applications in sewn circuits, smart textiles, biointerfaces, and fiber probes.
