Designing pores to suppress crack generation at the interface between serpentine interconnects and elastomers for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Serpentine interconnects are key for stretchable electronics, enabling rigid materials to deform.
• Current research focuses on improving the interconnects' stretchability.
• Interfacial cracking in polymer-encapsulated serpentine interconnects is a major challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address interfacial cracking in polymer-encapsulated serpentine interconnects.
• To enhance the mechanical and electrical stability of stretchable electronics.
• To demonstrate the practical application of the developed strategy.

Main Methods:

• Introducing geometrically engineered pores into the polymer matrix surrounding serpentine interconnects.
• Optimizing pore geometry for crack suppression.
• Evaluating mechanical properties (strain at failure, fatigue life) and electrical stability.
• Fabricating and testing a stretchable light-emitting diodes (LED) array and an electrical heater.

Main Results:

• Geometrically engineered pores effectively suppress interfacial cracks under stretching.
• Serpentine interconnects with optimized pores show improved mechanical stability compared to those without pores.
• Enhanced electrical stability was observed in the presence of optimized pores.
• Successful demonstration of a stretchable LED array and an electrical heater using the developed strategy.

Conclusions:

• Geometrically engineered pores in polymer matrices are a viable strategy to mitigate interfacial cracking in serpentine interconnects.
• This approach significantly enhances the reliability and performance of stretchable electronic devices.
• The findings pave the way for more robust and practical stretchable electronic applications.