Hyperelastic binder for printed, stretchable electronics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11184976-B2
Application number	US-201816189701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2018
Priority date	Nov 21, 2016
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions, devices, systems and fabrication methods for stretchable composite materials and stretchable electronics devices. In some aspects, an elastic composite material for a stretchable electronics device includes a first material having a particular electrical, mechanical or optical property; and a multi-block copolymer configured to form a hyperelastic binder that creates contact between the first material and the multi-block copolymer, in which the elastic composite material is structured to stretch at least 500% in at least one direction of the material and to exhibit the particular electrical, mechanical or optical property imparted from the first material. In some aspects, the stretchable electronics device includes a stretchable battery, biofuel cell, sensor, supercapacitor or other device able to be mounted to skin, clothing or other surface of a user or object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stretchable electronics device, comprising:
a stretchable substrate including an elastic and electrically insulative material structured to conform to an outer surface of an object;
an electrode arranged over the stretchable substrate, wherein the electrode is formed from an elastic composite material comprising an electrical conductor, and a multi-block copolymer configured to form a hyperelastic binder that creates contacts between particles of the electrical conductor within a network formed by the multi-block copolymer;
a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is formed from a second elastic composite material comprising a second electrical conductor and the multi-block copolymer configured to form a hyperelastic binder that creates contacts between particles of the second electrical conductor within a network formed by the multi-block copolymer; and
a conductive layer attached to the stretchable substrate and configured under the first electrode, the second electrode, or both the first and second electrodes, wherein the conductor layer is formed from a third elastic composite material comprising a third electrical conductor and the multi-block copolymer configured to form a hyperelastic binder that creates contacts between particles of the third electrical conductor within a network formed by the multi-block copolymer.

2. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is structured to stretch at least 500% in at least one direction and to exhibit electrical conductivity in the electrode.

3. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is structured to stretch at least 1000% in the at least one direction and to exhibit electrical conductivity in the electrode.

4. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is structured to stretch at least 500% in at least two directions, and the at least two directions are perpendicular.

5. The stretchable electronics device of clam 1 , wherein the multi-block copolymer of the elastic composite material includes poly styrene-polyisoprene-poly styrene (SIS).

6. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the %wt of the elastic composite material is at least 60% and the %wt of the block copolymer is at most 40%, or
wherein the %wt of the elastic composite material is at least 80% and the %wt of the block copolymer is at most 20%.

7. The stretchable electronics device of clam 1 , wherein the device includes a power storage device having an anode and a cathode corresponding to the electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

8. The stretchable electronics device of claim 7 , wherein the electrical conductor of the anode includes zinc and the second electrical conductor of the cathode includes silver oxide.

9. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer includes carbon black.

10. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a power storage device having an anode and a cathode corresponding to the electrode and the second electrode, respectively, and the conductive layer is a current collector of the power storage device, wherein the anode and the cathode are stacked vertically over the stretchable substrate with an electrolyte material in between the anode and the cathode.

11. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is formed from the elastic composite material.

12. The stretchable electronics device of claim 11 , wherein the device includes a sensor.

13. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical contact on the stretchable substrate and electrically coupled to the electrode.

14. The stretchable electronics device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a protective sheet over at least a portion of the stretchable electronics device.

15. The stretchable electronics device of claim 14 , wherein the protective sheet includes polyurethane.

16. A stretchable electronics device, comprising:
a stretchable substrate including an elastic and electrically insulative material structured to conform to an outer surface of an object; and
an electrode arranged over the stretchable substrate, wherein the electrode is formed from an elastic composite material comprising an electrical conductor, and a multi-block copolymer configured to form a hyperelastic binder that creates contacts between particles of the electrical conductor within a network formed by the multi-block copolymer,
wherein the multi-block copolymer of the elastic composite material includes polystyrene-polyisoprene-polystyrene (SIS).

17. The stretchable electronics device of claim 16 ,
wherein:
the %wt of the elastic composite material is at least 60% and the %wt of the block copolymer is at most 40%, or
the %wt of the elastic composite material is at least 80% and the %wt of the block copolymer is at most 20%.

18. The stretchable electronics device of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is structured to stretch at least 500% in at least one direction and to exhibit electrical conductivity in the electrode.

19. The stretchable electronics device of claim 16 , wherein the electrode is structured to stretch at least 500% in at least two directions, and the at least two directions are perpendicular.

20. The stretchable electronics device of clam 16 , wherein the device includes a power storage device having an anode and a cathode corresponding to the electrode and the second electrode, respectively.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Wang Joseph
• Kumar Rajan
• Meng Ying Shirley
• Shin Jae Wook
• Yin Lu

Classifications

• H05K2201/0314

  Elastomeric connector or conductor, e.g. rubber with metallic filler · CPC title

• H05K1/095

  for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder · CPC title

• H05K1/0283 Primary

  Stretchable printed circuits · CPC title

• H01M10/24

  Alkaline accumulators · CPC title

• H05K3/326

  the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits (H05K3/365 takes precedence) · CPC title