The electronics industry is shifting its emphasis from reducing transistor size and operational frequency to increasing device integration, reducing form factor and increasing the interface of electronics with their surroundings. This new emphasis has created increased demands on the electronic package. To accomplish the goals to increase device integration and interfaces will undoubtedly require new materials with increased functionality both electrically and mechanically. This thesis focuses on developing new interconnect and printable conductive materials capable of providing power, ground and signal transmission with enhanced electrical performance and mechanical flexibility and robustness. More specifically, we develop: 1.) A new understanding of the conduction mechanism in electrically conductive composites (ECC). 2.) Develop highly conductive stretchable silicone ECC (S-ECC) via in-situ nanoparticle formation and sintering. 3.) Fabricate and test stretchable radio frequency devices based on S-ECC. 4.) Develop techniques and processes necessary to fabricate a stretchable package for stretchable electronic and radio frequency devices. In this thesis we provide convincing evidence that conduction in ECC occurs predominantly through secondary charge transport mechanism (tunneling, hopping). Furthermore, we develop a stretchable silicone-based ECC which, through the incorporation of a special additive, can form and sinter nanoparticles on the surface of the metallic conductive fillers. This sintering process decreases the contact resistance and enhances conductivity of the composite. The conductive composite developed has the best reported conductivity, stretchability and reliability. Using this S-ECC we fabricate a stretchable microstrip line with good performance up to 6 GHz and a stretchable antenna with good return loss and bandwidth. The work presented provides a foundation to create high performance stretchable electronic packages and radio frequency devices for curvilinear spaces. Future development of these technologies will enable the fabrication of ultra-low stress large area interconnects, reconfigurable antennas and other electronic and RF devices where the ability to flex and stretch provides additional functionality impossible using conventional rigid electronics.

<p>By using flexible and stretchable materials in place of fixed components, soft robots can materially adapt or change to their environment, providing built-in safeties for robotic operation around humans or fragile, delicate objects. And yet, building a robot out of only soft and flexible materials can be a significant challenge depending on the tasks that the robot needs to perform, for example if the robot were to need to exert higher forces (even temporarily) or self-report its current state (as it deforms unexpectedly around external objects). Thus, the appeal of multifunctional materials for soft robots, wherein the materials used to build the body of the robot also provide actuation, sensing, or even simply electrical connections, all while maintaining the original vision of environmental adaptability or safe interactions. Multifunctional material systems are explored throughout the body of this dissertation in three ways: (1) Sensor integration into high strain actuators for state estimation and closed-loop control. (2) Simplified control of multifunctional material systems by enabling multiple functions through a single input stimulus (<i>i.e.</i>, only requiring one source of input power). (3) Presenting a solution for the open challenge of controlling both well established and newly developed thermally-responsive soft robotic materials through an on-body, high strain, uniform, Joule-heating energy source. Notably, these explorations are not isolated from each other as, for example, work towards creating a new material for thermal control also facilitated embedded sensory feedback. The work presented in this dissertation paves a way forward for multifunctional material integration, towards the end-goal of full-functioning soft robots, as well as (more broadly) design methodologies for other safety-forward or adaptability-forward technologies.</p>

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Cette thèse rapporte l’étude de dispersions de nanotubes de carbone par des polymères, la mise en forme de films composites et l’étude de leurs propriétés mécaniques ou de conduction électrique. La première partie est centrée autour de l’utilisation de l’acide poly-acrylique (PAA), qui se révèle un excellent agent dispersant des nanotubes dans l’eau. Une étude des interactions entre le polyélectrolyte et les nanotubes en fonction du pH est réalisée afin d’identifier les conditions de dispersion optimales. La réalisation de composites pour de potentielles applications dans les encres et peintures conductrices révèle qu’un contrôle suffisamment fin de l’adsorption du PAA et de la stabilité de la dispersion permet l’obtention de films à la fois homogènes et conducteurs électriques. La seconde partie de ce travail concerne l’utilisation d’un copolymère à blocs, le SBM, possédant des propriétés remarquables d’auto-organisation pour la réalisation de composites par voie solvant à base de nanotubes. L’originalité du système réside dans le fait que le SBM est à la fois agent dispersant des nanotubes mais également matrice structurante. Ce travail montre que la structure adoptée par le copolymère, qui dépend beaucoup du solvant employé, influence directement les propriétés mécaniques du matériau. De plus, l’addition de nanotubes améliore sensiblement les performances du composite. / This thesis deals with the study of carbon nanotube dispersions by polymers, the processing of composite films and the study of their mechanical and electrical properties. The first part of the work focuses on the use of poly(acrylic) acid (PAA), which proves to be an excellent dispersing agent in water. A study of the interactions between the PAA and the nanotubes is realised, tuned by the pH conditions. The fabrication of composite films, for future applications in the field of conductive inks and paints, shows that a fine control of the PAA adsorption and the dispersion stability allows the formation of homogeneous and conductive composites. In a second part, nanotube composites are elaborated from a block copolymer, the SBM, well-known for its remarkable self organization properties. Interestingly, the copolymer is at the same time the nanotube dispersing agent in the solvent and the structuring matrix of the final composite. This thesis shows that the copolymer structure, which strongly depends on the solvent used, influences the mechanical properties of composite films, and that the addition of nanotubes noticeably improves the performances.

Electroconductive composites are modern materials that are commonly used in many industries such as the construction industry among others. For example these materials can be useful as sensors for monitoring changes in constructions. The aim of this thesis is the research of electrically conductive silicate composite based on secondary raw materials. The design of this composite is based on the development of its own mixtures and experimental verification of the effect of the structure. The introduction part consists of a detailed analysis of 15 materials. Samples of the 5 fine and 2 coarse electrically conductive fillers were tested. Composite with filler Condufit C4 was selected as representative for type of fine fillers. Composite with filler Supragraphite C300 was selected as representative for type of coarse fillers. The selection of the composites was based on the impedance of the fabricated composites with these fillers. Subsequently, the individual components of the primary mixture were substituted. The cement was replaced by high-temperature fly ash in the amount of 20, 30, and 40 %, the aggregate of a similar fraction was replaced by steel sawdust, and the primary electrically conductive fillers were replaced by secondary ones in the amount of 30 and 50 %. All proposed replacements reduced the impedance of the composite. The most effective replacement for impedance reduction was replacement with waste graphite (up to 92 % reduction), which also slightly improved the mechanical properties of the composite. The result of this thesis is an optimized electrically conductive composite based on secondary raw materials with a fine type of filler with 30 % replacement by waste graphite "odpad vysavač"which achieves an impedance of 5 ohms. The partial goal of this thesis is a verification of the influence of moisture on the impedance of composites. Results are significantly affected by moisture when using the coarse type of filler, when using the fine type are not.