Conformable electrodes are essential for the development of flexible electronics or functional clothing, regardless of their application. Their reliable ability to transfer electric signals or serve as sensing elements in various conditions is vital for the advancement of wearables that will enhance our everyday life. In this research, the researchers of the University of Oulu, together with their partners from VTT Research Center and Polar Electro, developed a new system of electrodes that can be implemented into our clothing and withstand our daily routines.
The results were published in the recent open-access issue of Nature npj Flexible Electronics. A large sample set provided data on the breaking mechanisms and how these affect the electrical properties of the electrodes. In addition, the physicochemical analysis offers insights into the electrodes’ and materials’ behaviour in extreme conditions during elongation and washing cycles.
The achieved results indicate auspicious nanoparticle shapes and sizes as well as evidence regarding microscale breaking mechanisms responsible for electrodes degradation.
Reference:
Reliability of R2R-printed, flexible electrodes for e-clothing applications.Rafal Sliz1, Olli-Heikki Huttunen 2, Elina Jansson2, Juhani Kemppainen3, Jyrki Schroderus3, Marika Kurkinen2 and Tapio Fabritius1
1OPEM Unit, University of Oulu, Erkki Koiso-Kanttilankatu 3, 90570 Oulu, Finland. 2VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Kaitoväylä 1, 90570 Oulu, Finland. 3Polar Electro Oy, Professorintie 5, 90440 Kempele, Finland. email: RAFAL.SLIZ@OULU.FI
doi: HTTPS://WWW.NATURE.COM/ARTICLES/S41528-020-0076-Y
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