A molecular design approach towards elastic and multifunctional polymer electronics

Zheng, Y; Yu, Z; Zhang, S; Kong, X; Michaels, W; Wang, W; Chen, G; Liu, D; Lai, J-C; Prine, N; Zhang, W; Nikzad, S; Cooper, CB; Zhong, D; Mun, J; Zhang, Z; Kang, J; Tok, JB-H; McCulloch, I; Qin, J; Gu, X; Bao, Z

Journal article

A molecular design approach towards elastic and multifunctional polymer electronics

Abstract:: Next-generation wearable electronics require enhanced mechanical robustness and device complexity. Besides previously reported softness and stretchability, desired merits for practical use include elasticity, solvent resistance, facile patternability and high charge carrier mobility. Here, we show a molecular design concept that simultaneously achieves all these targeted properties in both polymeric semiconductors and dielectrics, without compromising electrical performance. This is enabled by covalently-embedded in-situ rubber matrix (iRUM) formation through good mixing of iRUM precursors with polymer electronic materials, and finely-controlled composite film morphology built on azide crosslinking chemistry which leverages different reactivities with C-H and C=C bonds. The high covalent crosslinking density results in both superior elasticity and solvent resistance. When applied in stretchable transistors, the iRUM-semiconductor film retained its mobility after stretching to 100% strain, and exhibited record-high mobility retention of 1 cm² V^-1 s^-1 after 1000 stretching-releasing cycles at 50% strain. The cycling life was stably extended to 5000 cycles, five times longer than all reported semiconductors. Furthermore, we fabricated elastic transistors via consecutively photo-patterning of the dielectric and semiconducting layers, demonstrating the potential of solution-processed multilayer device manufacturing. The iRUM represents a molecule-level design approach towards robust skin-inspired electronics.

Publication status:: Published

Peer review status:: Peer reviewed

Actions

Email

Email this record

Send the bibliographic details of this record to your email address.

Your Email
Please enter the email address that the record information will be sent to.

-
Your message (optional)
Please add any additional information to be included within the email.
Share
Cite

Cite this record

APA Style

Zheng, Y., Yu, Z., Zhang, S., Kong, X., Michaels, W., Wang, W., Chen, G., Liu, D., Lai, J.-C., Prine, N., Zhang, W., Nikzad, S., Cooper, C. B., Zhong, D., Mun, J., Zhang, Z., Kang, J., Tok, J. B.-H., McCulloch, I., … Bao, Z. (2021). A molecular design approach towards elastic and multifunctional polymer electronics. Nature Communications, 12(1), 5701–5701.

MLA Style

Zheng, Y, et al. “A Molecular Design Approach towards Elastic and Multifunctional Polymer Electronics.” Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021, pp. 5701–01.

Chicago Style

Zheng, Y, Z Yu, S Zhang, et al. 2021. “A Molecular Design Approach towards Elastic and Multifunctional Polymer Electronics.” Nature Communications 12 (1): 5701–.
Print