Creating wearable and on-skin electronics through 3D printing may bridge the gap between 2D device fabrication and 3D user surfaces. This processing technique has additional advantages of creating devices tailored fit for the distinct topography of each individual, environmental sustainability due to its additive nature, and ability to introduce structural alignment due to the directional flow. Here, we explore the usage of direct ink write (DIW) to process conducting polymers, a class of materials gaining increasing attention in the wearable electronics field due to its tunable mechanical and electrical properties. We first draw a correlation between printing resolution vs. printing parameters by gaining a fundamental understanding of ink rheology and its interplay with printer components. We then establish the processing-structure-property relationships by comparing the mechanical and electrical properties of the 3D printed conducting polymers to those processed using conventional 2D routes. This was achieved via a suite of complementary characterization including wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), in-situ resistance/tensile testing, and atomic force microscopy. Finally, we take advantage of the design freedom offered by 3D printing to process these conductive materials into auxetic structures that can maintain stable electrical performance under dynamic movement. Understanding these processing-structure-property relationships opens a new avenue to enhancing conducting polymer properties, and to enable the fabrication of personalized wearable electronics in 3D.

Tailored wearable organic electronics by 3D printing

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.