Transfer printing that enables heterogeneous integration of materials in desired layouts offers unprecedented opportunities for developing high-performance unconventional electronic systems. However, large-area integration of ultrathin and delicate functional micro-objects with high yields in a programmable fashion still remains as a great challenge. Here, we present a simple, cost-effective, yet robust transfer printing technique via a shape-conformal stamp with actively actuated surface microstructures for programmable and scalable transfer printing with high reliability and efficiency. The shape-conformal stamp features the polymeric backing and commercially available adhesive layer with embedded expandable microspheres. Upon external thermal stimuli, the embedded microspheres expand to form surface microstructures and yield weak adhesion for reliable release. Systematic experimental and computational studies reveal the fundamental aspects of the extraordinary adhesion switchability of stamp. Demonstrations of this protocol in deterministic assemblies of diverse challenging inorganic micro-objects illustrate its extraordinary capabilities in transfer printing for developing high-performance flexible inorganic electronics.
Stretchable electronics are of rapidly increasing interest due to their unique ability to function under complex deformations. Strain isolation of stiff functional components from the substrate represents a key challenge in the development of stretchable electronics since their mechanical mismatch may yield undesirable strains to degrade the device performance. The results presented here report an approach to develop a soft strain-isolating polymer substrate with programmable stiffness by spatioselective ultraviolet exposure for stretchable electronics. The approach being compatible with the well-established lithographic process reduces the fabrication complexity significantly and offers a simple yet robust strain-isolation mechanism to ensure the system stretchability of more than 100%. Combined experimental and numerical studies reveal the fundamental aspects of the design, fabrication, and operation of the strain-isolating substrate. Demonstration of this concept in a stretchable inorganic metal-based resistive temperature sensor and a stretchable organic photodiode array with unusually high performance shows the simplicity of the approach and the robustness in strain isolation in both component and device levels. This type of strain-isolation design not only creates promising routes for potential scalable manufacturing of stretchable electronics but also engineering opportunities for stretchable electronics involving the integration of various functional components, which require the quantitative control of the strain levels to achieve optimal performance.
This review provides a framework for printing thermoelectric materials and devices by discussing recent progress in thermoelectric ink chemistry and formulations, printing methods, flexible/conformable device designs, and energy/thermal applications.
Multifunctional sensors with integrated multiple sensing capabilities have enormous potential for in situ sensing, structural health monitoring, and wearable applications. However, the fabrication of multimodal sensors typically involves complex processing steps, which limit the choices of materials and device form factors. Here, an aerosol jet printed flexible bimodal sensor is demonstrated by using graphene and Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanoinks. The sensor can detect strain by measuring a change in the AC resistive voltage while simultaneously monitoring temperature by detecting the DC Seebeck voltage across the same printed device pattern. The printed bimodal sensor not only expands the sensing capability beyond conventional single-modality sensors but also provides improved spatial resolution utilizing the microscale printed patterns. The printed temperature sensor shows a competitive thermopower output of 53.6 μV/°C with ultrahigh accuracy and stability during both steady-state and transient thermal cycling tests. The printed sensor also demonstrates excellent flexibility with negligible degradations after 1000 bending cycles. The aerosol jet printing and integration of nanomaterials open many opportunities to design and manufacture multifunctional devices for a broad range of applications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.