Development of electrically conductive nanocomposites for flexible and conformable printable electronics

• Autores: Lía Campos Arias
• Directores de la Tesis: José Luis Vilas Vilela (dir. tes.), Nikola Peřinka (codir. tes.)
• Lectura: En la Universidad del País Vasco - Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea ( España ) en 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• Programa de doctorado: Programa de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales por la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
• Menciones:
  • Internacional
• Calificación: Sobresaliente Cum Laude
• Materias:
  • Física
• Enlaces
  • Tesis en acceso abierto en: ADDI
• Resumen

  • The implementation of the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 concepts integrates an increasing number of sensors and actuators in different surfaces, being necessary features such as adaptability, flexibility and stretchability. In this scenario, screen-printing has become a useful way to reduce weight and environmental impact of conventional electronics, and its combination with thermoforming allows achievement of 3D permanently shaped electronics. In this scenario, this work has focused on the development of screen-printed electrically conductive nanocomposites on flexible substrates suitable for thermoforming.

    Specifically tailored inks based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) have been developed to fabricate hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensors by screen-printing. Then, silver, PEDOT:PSS and reduced graphene oxide-based inks have been used to study the lateral resolution limits of the screen-printing. Combining the screen-printing technique with thermoforming, stretchable electrically conductive traces based on polystyrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene (SEBS) and different aspect ratio carbon-based materials have been fabricated. Finally, a complete device with electroluminescent activity and capacitive touch detection has been screen-printed and thermoformed using different functional inks.

    Thus, this work has demonstrated the capacity to develop electrically conductive inks for 2D and 3D free-form printed electronics, representing a successful and needed contribution to the field of printable and in-mold electronics.