Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns

Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns

Patterned conformal conductive structures are used to realize flexible electronics for applications such as electronic skin, communication devices, and sensors. Thus, there is a demand for low-cost rapid fabrication techniques for flexible and stretchable conductors. Spray-coating of liquid metals i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kareem S. Elassy, Tyler K. Akau, Wayne A. Shiroma, Soonmin Seo, Aaron T. Ohta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
prototyping
flexible electronics
conformal devices
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/8/1565
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spelling doaj-c15cbc13e9aa46089f494e2e9227fcc12020-11-25T00:50:35ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172019-04-0198156510.3390/app9081565app9081565Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal PatternsKareem S. Elassy0Tyler K. Akau1Wayne A. Shiroma2Soonmin Seo3Aaron T. Ohta4Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USABionano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi 13120, KoreaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAPatterned conformal conductive structures are used to realize flexible electronics for applications such as electronic skin, communication devices, and sensors. Thus, there is a demand for low-cost rapid fabrication techniques for flexible and stretchable conductors. Spray-coating of liquid metals is a prototyping method that is compatible with elastic substrates. In this work, UV-curable and polyimide masks were used to pattern sprayed liquid metal (LM). The effect of the spraying parameters on the thickness and conductivity of the LM was characterized. A minimum LM linewidth of 48 µm was achieved, along with a minimum gap width of 34 µm. A LM patch antenna and transmission line, which can potentially be used for communication systems, were demonstrated using this fabrication process.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/8/1565prototypingflexible electronicsconformal devices
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Kareem S. Elassy
Tyler K. Akau
Wayne A. Shiroma
Soonmin Seo
Aaron T. Ohta
spellingShingle Kareem S. Elassy
Tyler K. Akau
Wayne A. Shiroma
Soonmin Seo
Aaron T. Ohta
Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
Applied Sciences
prototyping
flexible electronics
conformal devices
author_facet Kareem S. Elassy
Tyler K. Akau
Wayne A. Shiroma
Soonmin Seo
Aaron T. Ohta
author_sort Kareem S. Elassy
title Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
title_short Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
title_full Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
title_fullStr Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
title_full_unstemmed Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns
title_sort low-cost rapid fabrication of conformal liquid-metal patterns
publisher MDPI AG
series Applied Sciences
issn 2076-3417
publishDate 2019-04-01
description Patterned conformal conductive structures are used to realize flexible electronics for applications such as electronic skin, communication devices, and sensors. Thus, there is a demand for low-cost rapid fabrication techniques for flexible and stretchable conductors. Spray-coating of liquid metals is a prototyping method that is compatible with elastic substrates. In this work, UV-curable and polyimide masks were used to pattern sprayed liquid metal (LM). The effect of the spraying parameters on the thickness and conductivity of the LM was characterized. A minimum LM linewidth of 48 µm was achieved, along with a minimum gap width of 34 µm. A LM patch antenna and transmission line, which can potentially be used for communication systems, were demonstrated using this fabrication process.
topic prototyping
flexible electronics
conformal devices
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/8/1565
work_keys_str_mv AT kareemselassy lowcostrapidfabricationofconformalliquidmetalpatterns
AT tylerkakau lowcostrapidfabricationofconformalliquidmetalpatterns
AT wayneashiroma lowcostrapidfabricationofconformalliquidmetalpatterns
AT soonminseo lowcostrapidfabricationofconformalliquidmetalpatterns
AT aarontohta lowcostrapidfabricationofconformalliquidmetalpatterns
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