Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications
For wearable electronic devices to be fully integrated into garments, without restricting or impeding movement, requires flexible and stretchable inks and coatings, which must have consistent performance and recover from mechanical strain. Combining Carbon Black (CB) and ammonia plasma functionalize...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1200 |
| _version_ | 1827693574823608320 |
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| author | Andrew Claypole James Claypole Liam Kilduff David Gethin Tim Claypole |
| author_facet | Andrew Claypole James Claypole Liam Kilduff David Gethin Tim Claypole |
| author_sort | Andrew Claypole |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For wearable electronic devices to be fully integrated into garments, without restricting or impeding movement, requires flexible and stretchable inks and coatings, which must have consistent performance and recover from mechanical strain. Combining Carbon Black (CB) and ammonia plasma functionalized Graphite Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) resin created a conductive ink that could stretch to substrate failure (>300% nominal strain) and cyclic strains of up to 100% while maintaining an electrical network. This highly stretchable, conductive screen-printable ink was developed using relatively low-cost carbon materials and scalable processes making it a candidate for future wearable developments. The electromechanical performance of the carbon ink for wearable technology is compared to a screen-printable silver as a control. After initial plastic deformation and the alignment of the nano carbons in the matrix, the electrical performance was consistent under cycling to 100% nominal strain. Although the GNP flakes are pulled further apart a consistent, but less conductive path remains through the CB/TPU matrix. In contrast to the nano carbon ink, a more conductive ink made using silver flakes lost conductivity at 166% nominal strain falling short of the substrate failure strain. This was attributed to the failure of direct contact between the silver flakes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:45:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-acf99588de8c4683ad937b531fb65465 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:45:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-acf99588de8c4683ad937b531fb654652023-11-21T18:06:28ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-05-01115120010.3390/nano11051200Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable ApplicationsAndrew Claypole0James Claypole1Liam Kilduff2David Gethin3Tim Claypole4Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UKWelsh Centre for Printing and Coating, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UKApplied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UKWelsh Centre for Printing and Coating, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UKWelsh Centre for Printing and Coating, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea SA1 8EN, UKFor wearable electronic devices to be fully integrated into garments, without restricting or impeding movement, requires flexible and stretchable inks and coatings, which must have consistent performance and recover from mechanical strain. Combining Carbon Black (CB) and ammonia plasma functionalized Graphite Nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) resin created a conductive ink that could stretch to substrate failure (>300% nominal strain) and cyclic strains of up to 100% while maintaining an electrical network. This highly stretchable, conductive screen-printable ink was developed using relatively low-cost carbon materials and scalable processes making it a candidate for future wearable developments. The electromechanical performance of the carbon ink for wearable technology is compared to a screen-printable silver as a control. After initial plastic deformation and the alignment of the nano carbons in the matrix, the electrical performance was consistent under cycling to 100% nominal strain. Although the GNP flakes are pulled further apart a consistent, but less conductive path remains through the CB/TPU matrix. In contrast to the nano carbon ink, a more conductive ink made using silver flakes lost conductivity at 166% nominal strain falling short of the substrate failure strain. This was attributed to the failure of direct contact between the silver flakes.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1200stretchable inkswearablescarbon inkgraphite nanoplateletprinted electronicscyclic loading |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Claypole James Claypole Liam Kilduff David Gethin Tim Claypole Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications Nanomaterials stretchable inks wearables carbon ink graphite nanoplatelet printed electronics cyclic loading |
| title | Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications |
| title_full | Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications |
| title_fullStr | Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications |
| title_short | Stretchable Carbon and Silver Inks for Wearable Applications |
| title_sort | stretchable carbon and silver inks for wearable applications |
| topic | stretchable inks wearables carbon ink graphite nanoplatelet printed electronics cyclic loading |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1200 |
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