Tsinghua University prints flexible electronic fibers directly on traditional fabrics

Integrating electronic devices on clothing is an ideal form of wearable device, however, battery packs, hard circuits, and the like that make up the electronic device can greatly reduce the comfort of wearing the clothes. Based on this, researchers at Tsinghua University have proposed a simple method: printing flexible electronic fibers directly on traditional fabrics. They are integrated into the 3D printer through a coaxial spinneret designed to achieve a direct print function of sheath-core fibers on the fabric, and produce a variety of flexible personalization pattern. With these smart patterns, energy harvesting and storage is also possible. Related papers were published in the journal Material on March 28.

The team of Zhang Yingying from the Department of Chemistry of Tsinghua University used a carbon nanotube solution to make a fiber-conducting core layer and used a silk protein solution to make a fiber-dielectric skin layer. Silk fibroin and carbon nanotube ink are connected by a syringe pump to a 3D printer equipped with a coaxial spinneret. The two printing inks are simultaneously extruded and form a variety of personalized patterns of sheath-core structural fibers directly on the fabric substrate.

The printing method completes the integration on the fabric while preparing the electronic fiber, and greatly improves the production efficiency of the electronic fabric. The technology integrates different functional units into the fabric at one time by selecting multiple ink combinations, providing a convenient and scalable path for the integration of wearable electronics. However, the resolution of this method of printing is limited by the mechanical movement accuracy of the 3D printer and the size of the nozzle.

Researchers say that in the future, multi-axis spinnerets or spinnerets with other new functions can be added to 3D printers, resulting in more flexible and rich component matching and structural design for 3D printing structures. Efficient preparation of fabrics.

Related paper information:

DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.02.003

《Journal of Chinese Sciences》(2019-03-28 4th edition comprehensive)