Pioneering Approach to Manufacturing Stretchable and Breathable Electronic Devices

Pioneering Approach to Manufacturing Stretchable and Breathable Electronic Devices

In recent years, engineers and material scientists have introduced increasingly flexible electronics for new wearable devices such as smartwatches, biosensors, and helth-monitoring technologies. To ensure safe prolonged use, these electronics must be permeable (allowing air and humidiity to pass  through) and biocompatible (harmless to the human body).

Researchers at Soochow Universtiy in China have recently introduced a novel methodology for fabricating liquid metal-based stretchable electronics that are breathable and biocompatible. Detailed in a paper in Nature Electronics, their proposed method involves using circuit-patterned stamps to create maltifunctional flexible electronic components for wearable devices.

Feng Yan, co-author of the paper, remarked to Tech Xplore, "Liquid metal-based stretchable electronics have attracted significant attention in recent times due to their potential applications in wearable electronics."

Ongoing Obstacles in Liquid Metal Stretchable Electonics

"Despite advancements, significant challenges remain, including intricate fabrication methods involving etching and oxygen-plasma treatment, as well as poor interface interactions between liquid metal and polymer substrates, leading to reduced cyclic tensile stability."

Overcoming limitations in Liquid Metal-Based Stretchable Electronics

"Liquid metel-based stretchable electronic materials often face various limitations that hinder their potential for developing personalized and customized circuits. In their recent study, Yan and his colleagues aimed to address these limitations by introducing and alternative methodology for fabricating liquid metal-based flexible electronics." 

Innovative Fabrication Method for Stretchable Electronics

"our methodology, which combines electrostatic spinning and pressure-stamping, bridges the technical gap between breathability, precision, and processability in stretchable electronic devices," Yan explained. "The semi-enabedded liquid metal particles within nanofibers rupture under pressure and spread to form continuous liquid metal regions, allowing for the selective construction of conductive pathways with high circuit accuracy and exceptional stability." 

"With their newly-vevised methodology, the researchers swiftly prepared breathable and stretchable circuits. These circuits exhibited high resolution, with minimum linewidths of 50 µm, and demonstrated exceptional stability, enduring over 30,000 cycles under a 100% strain."

Versatility of Pressure-Stamped Electronics in Wearables

"When integrated with various electronic components, the pressure-stamped electronics developed by Yan and his colleagues demostrated support for diverse functions, including square wave signal outputs, light emission, and wireless charging. This versatility suggests their potential as highly adaptable components for wearable devices, enabling engineers to achieve a range of desired functionalities."

"The exceptional biocompatibility and permeability of the circuits we developed make them ideal for bioelectrical signal acquisition," Yan stated. "Additionally, their recycling capability and universal applicability underscore their extensive potential in the field of flexible electronics."

Development of Prototype Sensors for Bioelectrical Monitoring

"Yan and his team have utilized their stretchable circuits to develop prototype sensors for bioelectrical signal monitoring. Looking ahead, these circuits could be integrated into various wearable devices tailored for specific medical or sports-related applications."

Environmental Benefits of Recyclable Flexible Electronics

"An additional benefit of the team's flexible electronic circuits is that the liquid metal-containing memebranes can be easily disassembled into individual components and recyled. This capability has the potential to significantly mitigate their environmental impact, thereby supporting their large-scale deployment."

Future Plans for Multilayer Circuit Boards

"Yan further outlined their plans to develop mulitlayer circuit boards with interlayer interconnections. By meticulously adjusting the modulus and dimensions of the liquid metals and nanofibers, they aim to enchance the circuits with the ability to activate distinct layers according to their evolving needs."

Further details: In their paper titled 'Pressure-stamped stretchable electronics using a nonofiber membrane containing semi-embedded liquid metal particles,' published in Nature Electronics (2024), Sijie Zheng et al. present.... DOI: 10.1038/s41928-24-01194-0

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