New Materials, Composites, and Designs for Stretchable and Wearable Electronics

将坚硬的电子设备转变为符合人体轮廓的柔韧设备将重新定义人机交互，为人体提供生物传感器、照明和能量存储等电气功能。可穿戴电子产品的一种方法是将电子设备与柔软的橡胶弹性体集成在一起，这种弹性体可以层压在皮肤上，将设备与人紧密连接起来。另一种方法是将电子设备与服装的纺织纤维结合起来，使与设备的交互像穿衣服一样简单。这两种方法都面临着电子器件材料机械性能不匹配的挑战，这些材料本质上是不可拉伸的，而软橡胶或纺织基板。******我们的研究计划旨在通过开发将电子材料和设备与弹性体和纺织品相结合的新方法来推进软可穿戴电子领域。我们的方法设计了软基板的特性，以影响沉积在表面的电子材料和设备的机械和电气响应。该项目将通过将弹性体基板从可拉伸设备的简单平台转变为增强可拉伸设备功能的多功能元件来推进基于弹性体的电子产品。将一种弹性体的膜融合到第二种弹性体的表面上，结合了两种弹性体的有利表面和体积特性；此外，形成两种弹性体之间界面的材料是一个关键的协同因素，将被利用来有利地影响膜表面上可拉伸材料和设备的功能。该项目还将通过开发高导电性和可拉伸性的织物和纤维来推进基于纺织品的可穿戴设备，采用低成本、基于解决方案、可扩展的方法，在保持纺织品柔软、可拉伸特性的同时集成高导电性。新的可拉伸和导电纺织品将用于探索广泛的创新新设备，例如集成在服装中的可拉伸布线连接设备，用于检测身体运动和测量心率和呼吸等生命体征的基于纤维的应变传感器，以及可拉伸的发光织物和纤维，设备功能与服装的最终集成。

Transforming hard, rigid electronics into pliable devices that can conform to the contours of the human body will redefine the human-computer interaction, delivering electrical functions like biosensors, illumination, and energy storage to the human body. One approach to wearable electronics involves integrating electronic devices with soft, rubbery elastomers that can be laminated on the skin, intimately connecting devices with humans. Another approach integrates electronic devices with the textile fibers of clothing to make interacting with devices as simple as getting dressed. Both approaches face the challenge of mismatched mechanical properties of the electronic device materials, which are not intrinsically stretchable, and the soft rubber or textile substrates. ******Our research program aims to advance the field of soft, wearable electronics by developing new ways to integrate electronic materials and devices with elastomers and textiles. Our approach engineers the properties of the soft substrate to influence the mechanical and electrical response of electronic materials and devices deposited on the surface. This program will advance elastomer-based electronics by transforming the elastomeric substrate from a simple platform for stretchable devices into a multifunctional element that enhances the function of stretchable devices. Fusing a membrane of one elastomer onto the surface of a second combines the advantageous surface and bulk properties of the two elastomers; furthermore, the material that forms the interface between the two elastomers is a key synergistic element that will be exploited to favourably influence the function of stretchable materials and devices on the membrane surface. This program will also advance textile-based wearable devices by developing highly conductive and stretchable fabrics and fibers, using a low-cost, solution-based, scalable method that integrates high electrical conductivity while maintaining the soft, stretchable properties of the textile. The new stretchable and conductive textiles will be used to explore a wide range of innovative new devices, such as stretchable wiring integrated in clothing to connect devices, fiber-based strain sensors designed to detect body motion and measure vital signs like heartrate and respiration, and stretchable light-emitting fabrics and fibers, the ultimate integration of device functionality with clothing.