Flexible electronics is a very hot emerging technology in recent years. Unlike the rigid and rigid impression brought by traditional electronic devices, flexible electronic products can work normally under a certain range of deformation (bend, fold, twist, compress or stretch). According to a recent report from the German Electronic Synchrotron Research Institute (DESY) official website, the institution and the University of Hamburg have developed a process suitable for 3D printing technology, which opens up the possibility of silver nanowire grid electronic devices as 3D printed circuits. , Can be embedded in various flexible and transparent plastics for the manufacture of transparent and mechanically flexible electronic circuits.
For research, researchers are working on curable materials and silver nanowires with length ratios up to 1000 and have developed flexible capacitors made of this material, which they believe may lead to advances in light emitting diodes, solar cells or integrated circuit tools. "The core of this technology is silver nanowires, which form a conductive grid," explains Tomke Glier of the University of Hamburg.
Silver wires are typically tens of nanometers thick, while layer thicknesses are 10 to 20 microns. In X-ray analysis, the nanowire structure did not appear to change in the polymer, however, researchers said that the mesh's conductivity was even improved due to the compression introduced by the material during the curing process. For cost purposes, the researchers' goal is to obtain the highest possible conductivity with the fewest nanowires possible.
Researchers have developed a process suitable for 3D printing technology that can be used to make electronic circuits that are transparent and mechanically flexible. "In the lab, we performed the various work steps in the layering process, but in fact they can be completely transferred to a 3D printer later," explains Glier. "However, the further development of traditional 3D printing technology is usually aimed at a single print The ink is optimized, which is also essential. In inkjet-based processes, print nozzles can be blocked by nanostructures, "said co-author Michael Rübhausen.
Researchers are enthusiastic about the results of structural analysis. They examined the structure, flexibility, and access with X-ray imaging, showing elastic and highly flexible properties.
Flexible circuits are the foundation of wearable electronic devices. At present, flexible electronics has become one of the research hotspots in interdisciplinary fields, covering organic electronics, plastic electronics, bioelectronics, nanoelectronics, printed electronics and other fields. Its products include RFID, flexible displays, OLED displays and lighting, flexible sensors, Flexible photovoltaics, flexible logic and storage devices, flexible batteries, wearable devices, electronic skins, etc. This includes, among other things, the need for medical devices that are as transparent as possible. The versatility of flexible transparent circuits is sufficient for various electronic products. Although they may require printing in various shapes, they can fit a variety of geometries.