3D Printing of Deformable Multicolor Alternating-Current Electroluminescent Devices Through Rational Design of...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Flexible Electronics

Background:

• Developing flexible and customizable electroluminescent devices is a significant challenge in advanced manufacturing.
• Existing technologies often lack the required deformability and integration capabilities for next-generation applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel approach for fabricating highly deformable, 3D-printed alternating-current electroluminescent devices.
• To demonstrate the potential of rational design of UV-curable functional inks for advanced electronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a multilayer structure using UV-curable thiol-ene crosslinked emission layer (ZBS-t-SE) and temperature-responsive ionic hydrogel electrodes (FFP).
• Utilized 3D printing for precise spatial control of functional materials.
• Characterized mechanical properties, ionic conductivity, and performance under various deformation modes.

Main Results:

• The ZBS-t-SE emission layer exhibited exceptional mechanical properties (259% strain at 727 kPa).
• The FFP electrodes showed excellent printability, high ionic conductivity (2.5 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹), and stability (>3000 cycles at 200% strain).
• Optimized devices achieved a maximum luminance of 267.4 cd m⁻² at 200% strain and maintained stable operation under stretching, bending, and twisting.

Conclusions:

• The 3D printing approach with rationally designed functional inks enables the fabrication of complex, deformable electroluminescent devices.
• This technology presents a transformative strategy for next-generation flexible electronics and display technologies, including multi-color emission capabilities.