Flexible electronics could find applications as sensors, artificial muscles

April 2, 2007
Flexible electronics could find applications as sensors, artificial muscles

Semiconductor ribbons with buckled profiles on polydimethylsiloxane surfaces that are functionalized for surface chemical bonding exhibit mechanical stretchability. Credit: Argonne National Laboratory

Flexible electronic structures with the potential to bend, expand and manipulate electronic devices are being developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These flexible structures could find useful applications as sensors and as electronic devices that can be integrated into artificial muscles or biological tissues.

In addition to a biomedical impact, flexible electronics are important for energy technology as flexible and accurate sensors for hydrogen.

These structures were developed from a concept created by Argonne scientist Yugang Sun and a team of researchers at the University of Illinois led by John A. Rogers. The concept focuses on forming single-crystalline semiconductor nanoribbons in stretchable geometrical configurations with emphasis on the materials and surface chemistries used in their fabrication and the mechanics of their response to applied strains.

“Flexible electronics are typically characterized by conducting plastic-based liquids that can be printed onto thin, bendable surfaces,” Sun said. “The objective of our work was to generate a concept along with subsequent technology that would allow for electronic wires and circuits to stretch like rubber bands and accordions leading to sensor-embedded covers for aircraft and robots, and even prosthetic skin for humans.

“We are presently developing stretchable electronics and sensors for smart surgical gloves and hemispherical electronic eye imagers,” he added.

The team of researchers has been successful in fabricating thin ribbons of silicon and designing them to bend, stretch and compress like an accordion without losing their ability to function. The detailed results of these findings were published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry paper, " Structural forms of single crystal semiconductor nanoribbons for high-performance stretchable electronics," which is available online.

Before coming to Argonne in August of 2006, Sun worked as a research associate under John A. Rogers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where this project was first initiated. With the opening of Argonne's Center for Nanoscale Materials late last year, he was attracted by the facility's ability to enhance scientists' investigations in the properties of materials at nanoscale dimensions.

The Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne integrates nanoscale research with Argonne's existing capabilities in synchrotron X-ray studies, neutron-based materials research and electron microscopy with new capabilities in nanosynthesis, nanofabrication, nanomaterials characterization, and theory and simulation.

With the many resources at Argonne at his disposal, Sun plans to expand his research to focus on applications in other biological and chemical sensors.

Source: Argonne National Laboratory

4.4 /5 (13 votes)  

Rank 4.4 /5 (13 votes)
Tags

Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • polymer nanocomposites
    createdFeb 10, 2012
  • Corrosion Tests on Magnesium
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • polyethylene copper nanocomposite
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • Output of xrd analysis
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • Transport phenomena problem based on problems 18.B11 and 19B.6 from Bird, stewart, lw
    createdFeb 06, 2012
  • Help with material selection - Car Piston
    createdFeb 05, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Materials & Chemical Engineering

More news stories

New kind of solar cell could capture significantly more energy than current cells

New solar cells could increase the maximum efficiency of solar panels by over 25%, according to scientists from the University of Cambridge.

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created Feb 08, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (12) | comments 14 | with audio podcast

Nanoshell whispering galleries improve thin solar panels

Visitors to Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building may have experienced a curious acoustic feature that allows a person to whisper softly at one side of the cavernous, half-domed room and for another on ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Feb 07, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (6) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

'Dark plasmons' transmit energy

Microscopic channels of gold nanoparticles have the ability to transmit electromagnetic energy that starts as light and propagates via "dark plasmons," according to researchers at Rice University.

Nanotechnology / Nanophysics

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (9) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Revealing how a battery material works

Since its discovery 15 years ago, lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) has become one of the most promising materials for rechargeable batteries because of its stability, durability, safety and ability to deliver ...

Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials

created Feb 08, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Nanotube therapy takes aim at breast cancer stem cells

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers have again proven that injecting multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into tumors and heating them with a quick, 30-second laser treatment can kill them.

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Walney offshore wind farm is world's biggest (for now)

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Walney wind farm on the Irish Sea--characterized by high tides, waves and windy weather--officially opened this week. The farm is treated in the press as a very big deal as the Walney ...

GPS court ruling leaves US phone tracking unclear

A US Supreme Court decision requiring a warrant to place a GPS device on the car of a criminal suspect leaves unresolved the bigger issue of police tracking using mobile phones, legal experts say.

Europeans protest controversial Internet pact

Tens of thousands of people marched in protests in more than a dozen European cities Saturday against a controversial anti-online piracy pact that critics say could curtail Internet freedom.

Europe stakes billion-dollar bet on new rocket

A pencil-slim rocket is scheduled to lift into space from South America on Monday, carrying a billion-dollar bet that Europe can grab a juicy slice of the market to place satellites in low orbit.

Study finds that anti-diabetic medication can prevent the long-term effects of maternal obesity

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that show that short therapy with the anti-diabetic medication ...

Netflix settlement trims 14 pct off 4Q earnings

(AP) -- Netflix pressed the rewind button on its fourth-quarter earnings after settling allegations that the video subscription service violated a consumer-privacy law.