Yonsei Advanced Science Institute

Soft electronics based on designer smart electromaterials and devices

Nov 4, 2019, 1pm – IBS 610 Auditirium

Professor. Pooi See Lee*

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Self-powered electronics and autonomous systems are driving the next industrial revolution, particularly in humanmachine interface, wearables and robotic systems. The concepts of designer smart electromaterials and devices for building electronics and energy devices are the key contributing factors for the connection between physical motion, power generation and electronics operation. Developing conformable cutaneous electronics or deformable wearable electronics operated in close proximity to human body will require robust and optimum electronic and mechanical properties of soft, compliant, flexible and stretchable materials.  Our efforts focus on the incorporation of functional nanomaterials in soft matrices for tuning the electrical conduction, opto-physical properties, charge transport and physico-chemical-mechanical properties. We designed and prepared flexible transparent conductor using metallic nanowires and nanocellulose using a nanotechtonic assembly network. This resultant micromesh provided an effective percolative pathways for electrons transport, leading to high transparency and conductivity. Stretchable conductor was realized using liquid metal particles in various elastomers. Liquid metal particles facilitated continuous electrical conduction under extreme stretching strains, making them suitable for deformable electrodes in strain sensors and energy harvestors. Functional nanomaterials such as black phosphorus nanosheets were adopted as charge trapping layer in enhancing triboelectric charges for sensing and energy harvesting. Future prospects on contemporary and emerging interdisciplinary designer materials and devices will be discussed