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

将坚硬、僵硬的电子设备转变为能够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子功能。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整合在一起，这种弹性体可以层叠在皮肤上，将设备与人类紧密连接在一起。另一种方法是将电子设备与服装的纺织纤维相结合，使与设备的互动变得像穿衣服一样简单。这两种方法都面临着电子设备材料与软橡胶或纺织基板的机械性能不匹配的挑战，这些材料本质上是不可拉伸的。*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动软质、可穿戴电子产品领域的发展。我们的方法利用软基板的特性来影响沉积在其表面的电子材料和器件的机械和电学响应。该计划将通过将弹性体基板从可伸缩设备的简单平台转变为增强可伸缩设备功能的多功能元件来推动基于弹性体的电子产品的发展。将一种弹性体的薄膜融合到另一种弹性体的表面上，结合了两种弹性体的有利表面和整体性能；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，将被用来有利地影响膜表面上可伸展材料和设备的功能。该计划还将通过开发高导电性和可伸缩的织物和纤维，利用一种低成本、基于解决方案的可扩展方法，在保持纺织品的柔软、可伸展特性的同时，集成高导电性，从而推动基于纺织品的可穿戴设备的发展。这种新型的可伸缩导电纺织品将用于探索一系列创新的新设备，例如集成在服装中的连接设备的可伸缩电线、旨在检测人体运动并测量心率和呼吸等生命体征的光纤应变传感器，以及可伸展发光织物和纤维--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.