The team says it created tiny sheets of strong, yet bendable electronic materials made of select polymers and nanowires. It believes this innovation could lead to improvements in smart clothing, electronic skin and other applications that require pliable circuitry.
The study, which includes computational modelling contributions from Temple University researchers, employs ‘nanoconfinement’ engineering and ‘strain’ engineering – a strategy in semiconductor manufacturing used to boost device performance.
Without kirigami, the polymer - known as PthTFB - can be deformed up to 6% from its original shape without changing its electronic conductivity. With kirigami, the team says the polymer can stretch up to 2,000% and the conductivity of PthTFB will increase by three orders of magnitude.
