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Method for Patterning of Conductive Polymers on Flexible Substrates with Possible Applications for Wearable Sensing.
Mariya Aleksandrova1, Georgi Nikolov2, Valentin Mateev3
1Department of Microelectronics, Technical University of Sofia, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Micromachines
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to pattern conductive polymers on flexible surfaces without damaging them. This technique uses a gold nanocoating template for precise, high-resolution conductive polymer coatings suitable for medical devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Traditional lithography can degrade conductive polymers like graphene/PEDOT:PSS, limiting their use in flexible electronics.
- Achieving high-resolution patterns on flexible substrates without material damage is a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel fabrication method for precise patterning of conductive polymer coatings on flexible substrates.
- To overcome the limitations of traditional lithographic techniques in preserving polymer integrity and conductivity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an inversely structured gold nanocoating (400-450 nm) as a sacrificial template.
- Employed a selective lift-off process using a potassium iodide solution for pattern transfer.
- Fabricated high-resolution graphene/PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer topologies on flexible substrates.
Main Results:
- Achieved precise patterning of conductive polymer coatings without chemical or thermal degradation.
- Obtained structures with a low sheet resistance of 90-100 Ω/sq.
- Demonstrated linear sensitivity to temperature and humidity.
Conclusions:
- The novel fabrication approach enables damage-free, high-resolution patterning of conductive polymers.
- The developed method is suitable for creating advanced sensors for wearable medical diagnostics.
- This technique offers a promising pathway for next-generation flexible electronic devices.
