Electronic components are generally not known for their flexibility. To upgrade the malleability of electronic circuits, University at Buffalo (UB) researchers have looked toward an ancient paper art, known as kirigami.
“We examined the design principles behind kirigami, which is an efficient and beautiful art form, and applied them to our work to develop a much stronger and stretchable conductor of power,” says Shenqiang Ren, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and lead author of the research.
Kirigami has already inspired tech designs in recent news. For example, a team from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) developed a snake-like robot that used its principles of locomotion to move without any rigid components.
However, the UB-led research team has their eyes set on smart clothing, electronic skin, bendable displays, and additional applications of pliable circuitry. Their innovation consists of tiny sheets of strong, bendable electronic materials, comprised of specific nanowires and polymers.
“Traditional electronics, like the printed circuit boards in tablets and other electronic devices, are rigid. That’s not a good match for the human body, which is full of bends and curves, especially when we are moving,” says Ren.
The PthTFB polymer used in the design can stretch up to 6 percent from its original shape without kirigami techniques. When the ancient paper art is applied, PthTFB can be deformed up to 2,000 percent. In addition, the polymer’s conductivity surges by three orders of magnitude.
Read the study, “Kirigami‐Inspired Nanoconfined Polymer Conducting Nanosheets with 2000% Stretchability,” published in Advanced Materials to learn more.
