Thermal shape morphing of membrane-type electronics based on plastic-elastomer frameworks for 3D electronics with various Gaussian curvatures

Abstract

This study demonstrates a means of shape morphing planar membrane-type electronic devices into three-dimensional (3D) structures with various Gaussian curvatures using a plastic-elastomer supportive framework consisting of acrylonitrile–butadienestyrene (ABS) lines with tensile stress inside an Ecoflex film. The plastic part, created by extrusion shear printing (ESP), provides the driving force for shape morphing upon thermal annealing, whereas the elastomer part provides a base to mount membrane-type electronic devices and allows a comparably large degree of deformation. To ensure reliable interfacial adhesion in the plastic-elastomer framework, the ABS lines are treated with an allyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) for chemical bonding to the Ecoflex layer. To determine control parameters for reliable shape morphing, the annealing conditions (e.g., temperature and time), the printing conditions (e.g., shear rate and pitch), and relative thicknesses of the ABS/Ecoflex are examined. Based on these findings, various 3D structures, including bent, cone, saddle, and dome shapes, can be generated from planar forms using ABS-Ecoflex frameworks, which are also predicted by a mechanical finite element method (FEM) simulation. Furthermore, a metal electrode and a membrane-type indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) transistor array are successfully mounted on ABS-Ecoflex frameworks and transformed into curvilinear structures without electrical failure.

Keywords

• 3D electronics
• Shape morphing
• Plastic-elastomer framework
• Flexible electronics
• Interfacial adhesion