Thin film heaters, corrosion-resistance electrode, thin film inductors / Stretchable electronics are soft and light weight. Compared with conventional wafer-based electronics, which are rigid and planar, stretchable electronics can conform to curved surfaces and movable parts. The unique properties of stretchable electronics enable their integration with the human body, and open the door for ever more compelling applications, such as advanced surgical tools, wearable monitoring electronics, implantable prosthesis, and many others. However, the development of stretchable electronics is still at an early stage since their mechanical robustness and electrical performance are still far from satisfying.
In this work, I have developed a method to fabricate thin film stretchable devices by solvent-assisted transfer of wrinkled thin films from rigid polystyrene (PS) substrates to elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Using this approach, structured thin films containing multiple materials and hybrid structures could be lifted off simultaneously, facilitating the fabrication of stretchable thin film devices. With this approach, I have built corrosion-resistant stretchable electrodes, stretchable thin film heaters, and stretchable thin film inductors. These applications demonstrate the simplicity and effectiveness of this stretchable electronics fabrication strategy. Finally, I made the first step towards fabricating dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with room temperature processes, including the preparation of mesoporous TiO2 layers through mechanical compression and the integration of an interdigitated electrode that was fabricated solely by bench-top patterning, alignment, and sputtering deposition. These steps lay the foundation for the future development of stretchable DSSC. I anticipate that the fabricated stretchable thin films electronic components will contribute to the advancement of wearable and implantable electronics. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Electronics that can be deformed and conform to the irregular surfaces are attractive because they can be better integrated with the human body. For example, they could improve disease diagnostics and therapeutic treatments by providing wearable continuous monitoring devices and more advanced surgical tools. In this work, I created wrinkled thin films that could be affixed onto an elastic substrate and stretched. The principle of operation of these wrinkled devices mimics the way that the wrinkled skin on our knuckles and elbows allows us to bend our fingers and elbows. This approach makes wrinkled thin films stretchable and could lead to robust electronic devices. I have showcased this approach building a corrosion-resistant stretchable electrode, thin films heaters that can closely conform to joints, and a spiral-shaped inductor that could be used to wirelessly transfer data or power wearable devices. I believe that this work will contribute to the development of electronics that can be worn or implanted in the human body.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/27599 |
| Date | January 2022 |
| Creators | Ding, Xiuping |
| Contributors | Moran-Mirabal, Jose, Chemistry and Chemical Biology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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