Electronic paper: Flexible active-matrix electronic ink display

Monolithic Flexible Vertical GaN Light-Emitting Diodes for a Transparent Wireless Brain Optical Stimulator

Flexible inorganic-based micro light-emitting diodes (µLEDs) are emerging as a significant technology for flexible displays, which is an important area for bilateral visual communication in the upcoming Internet of Things era. Conventional flexible lateral µLEDs have been investigated by several researchers, but still have significant issues of power consumption, thermal stability, lifetime, and light-extraction efficiency on plastics. Here, high-performance flexible vertical GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are demonstrated by silver nanowire networks and monolithic fabrication. Transparent, ultrathin GaN LED arrays adhere to a human fingernail and stably glow without any mechanical deformation. Experimental studies provide outstanding characteristics of the flexible vertical μLEDs (f-VLEDs) with high optical power (30 mW mm^-2 ), long lifetime (≈12 years), and good thermal/mechanical stability (100 000 bending/unbending cycles). The wireless light-emitting system on the human skin is successfully realized by transferring the electrical power f-VLED. Finally, the high-density GaN f-VLED arrays are inserted onto a living mouse cortex and operated without significant histological damage of brain.

Cracking effects in squashable and stretchable thin metal films on PDMS for flexible microsystems and electronics

Here, we study cracking of nanometre and sub-nanometre-thick metal lines (titanium, nickel, chromium, and gold) evaporated onto commercial polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Mechanical and electromechanical testing reveals potentially technologically useful effects by harnessing cracking. When the thin film metal lines are subjected to uniaxial longitudinal stretching, strain-induced cracks develop in the film. The regularity of the cracking is seen to depend on the applied longitudinal strain and film thickness-the findings suggest ordering and the possibility of creating metal mesas on flexible substrates without the necessity of lithography and etching. When the metal lines are aligned transversally to the direction of the applied strain, a Poisson effect-induced electrical 'self-healing' can be observed in the films. The Poisson effect causes process-induced cracks to short circuit, resulting in the lines being electrically conducting up to very high strains (~40%). Finally, cracking results in the observation of an enhanced transversal gauge factor which is ~50 times larger than the geometric gauge factor for continuous metal films-suggesting the possibility of high-sensitivity thin-film metal strain gauge flexible technology working up to high strains.

Aligning Ag Nanowires by a Facile Bioinspired Directional Liquid Transfer: Toward Anisotropic Flexible Conductive Electrodes

Recent years have witnessed the booming development of transparent flexible electrodes (TFEs) for their applications in electronics and optoelectronic devices. Various strategies have thus been developed for preparing TFEs with higher flexibility and conductivity. However, little work has focused on TFEs with anisotropic conductivity. Here, a facile strategy of directional liquid transfer is proposed, guided by a conical fibers array (CFA), based on which silver nanowires (AgNWs) are aligned on a soft poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate in large scale. After further coating a second thin layer of the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate), a TFE with notable anisotropic conductivity and excellent optical transmittance of 95.2% is prepared. It is proposed that the CFA enables fine control over the receding of the three-phase contact line during the dewetting process, where AgNWs are guided and aligned by the as-generated directional stress. Moreover, anisotropic electrochemical deposition is enabled where the Cu nanoparticles deposit only on the oriented AgNWs, leading to a surface with anisotropic wetting behavior. Importantly, the approach enables alignment of AgNWs via multiple directions at one step. It is envisioned that the as-developed approach will provide an optional approach for simple and low-cost preparation of TFE with various functions.

Novel Nano-Materials and Nano-Fabrication Techniques for Flexible Electronic Systems

Recent progress in fabricating flexible electronics has been significantly developed because of the increased interest in flexible electronics, which can be applied to enormous fields, not only conventional in electronic devices, but also in bio/eco-electronic devices. Flexible electronics can be applied to a wide range of fields, such as flexible displays, flexible power storages, flexible solar cells, wearable electronics, and healthcare monitoring devices. Recently, flexible electronics have been attached to the skin and have even been implanted into the human body for monitoring biosignals and for treatment purposes. To improve the electrical and mechanical properties of flexible electronics, nanoscale fabrications using novel nanomaterials are required. Advancements in nanoscale fabrication methods allow the construction of active materials that can be combined with ultrathin soft substrates to form flexible electronics with high performances and reliability. In this review, a wide range of flexible electronic applications via nanoscale fabrication methods, classified as either top-down or bottom-up approaches, including conventional photolithography, soft lithography, nanoimprint lithography, growth, assembly, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), are introduced, with specific fabrication processes and results. Here, our aim is to introduce recent progress on the various fabrication methods for flexible electronics, based on novel nanomaterials, using application examples of fundamental device components for electronics and applications in healthcare systems.

Optofluid-Based Reflective Displays

Displays can present information like text, images, or videos in a different color (visible light) by activating the materials in pixels. In a display device, pixels are typically of micrometer size and filled with displaying materials that are aligned and controlled by a display driver integrated circuit. Typical reflective displays can show designed information by manipulating ambient light via the microfluidic behavior in pixels driven by electrophoresis, electrowetting, or electromechanical forces. In this review, we describe the basic working principles and device structures of three reflective displays of electrophoresis display (EPD), electrowetting display (EWD), and interferometric modulator display (IMOD). The optofluidic behavior and controlling factors relating to the display performance are summarized.

Improving Electrophoretic Particle Motion Control in Electrophoretic Displays by Eliminating the Fringing Effect via Driving Waveform Design

Electrophoretic display is realized by controlling colored nanoparticles moving in micrometer spaces via electrophoresis. The quality of information display is therefore affected by the unsynchronized particle moving speed and the mismatched electric signal according to the crosstalk of the electric field and inhomogeneous material distribution. In this work, we analyzed the mechanism of a fringe phenomenon that affected the information display quality of electrophoretic displays (EPDs). Electrical driving waveforms (voltage signals) are designed to reduce the fringe phenomenon. By using the optimizing driving waveform, we proposed that the fringe phenomenon is quantified as gray value that can be diminished by 25.5, while keeping a response time of 200 ms.

Self-catalyzed copper-silver complex inks for low-cost fabrication of highly oxidation-resistant and conductive copper-silver hybrid tracks at a low temperature below 100 °C

Cu-Ag complex inks are developed for printing conductive tracks of low cost, high stability, and high conductivity on heat-sensitive substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. The inks show an obvious self-catalyzed characteristic due to the in situ formation of fresh metal nanoparticles which promote rapid decomposition and sintering of the inks at a low temperature below 100 °C. The temperature is 40-60 °C lower than those of general Cu complex inks and 100-120 °C lower than those of general Cu/Ag particle inks. Highly conductive Cu-Ag tracks of 2.80 × 10^-5 Ω cm and 6.40 × 10^-5 Ω cm have been easily realized at 100 °C and 80 °C, respectively. In addition, the printed Cu-based tracks not only show high oxidation resistance at high temperatures of up to 140 °C (the maximum tolerable temperature of current PET substrate) but also show excellent stability at high humidity of 85% because of the very uniform Cu-Ag hybrid structure. The printable tracks exhibit great potential application in various wearable devices fabricated on textiles, papers, and other heat-sensitive substrates.

Microfluidic-based flexible reflective multicolor display

This paper describes a microfluidic-based flexible reflective display constructed using dyed water droplets and air gaps as pixel elements. Our display is composed of a flexible polydimethylsiloxane sheet with a connected pixel-patterned microchannel. Several types of dyed water droplets and air gaps are sequentially introduced to the microchannel through a suction process to display a multicolor image. The displayed image is stable and can be retained without an energy supply. To ensure that images are displayed correctly, the geometric parameters of the dot pixel design and minimum differential pressure necessary to drive the water droplets are evaluated. As a demonstration, we successfully display three-color dot-matrix reflective images and bitmap characters in the microchannel. Our proposed method can be applied to energy-less and color-changeable displays for use in future daily-life accessories, such as bags, shoes, and clothes, and can change the surface color and pattern of these accessories.

Charge transport by inverse micelles in non-polar media

Charged inverse micelles play an important role in the electrical charging and the electrodynamics of nonpolar colloidal dispersions relevant for applications such as electronic ink displays and liquid toner printing. This review examines the properties and the behavior of charged inverse micelles in microscale devices in the absence of colloidal particles. It is discussed how charge in nonpolar liquids is stabilized in inverse micelles and how conductivity depends on the inverse micelle size, water content and ionic impurities. Frequently used nonpolar surfactant systems are investigated with emphasis on aerosol-OT (AOT) and poly-isobutylene succinimide (PIBS) in dodecane. Charge generation in the bulk by disproportionation is studied from measurements of conductivity as a function of surfactant concentration and from generation currents in quasi steady-state. When a potential difference is applied, the steady-state situation can show electric field screening or complete charge separation. Different regimes of charge transport are identified when a voltage step is applied. It is shown how the transient and steady-state currents depend on the rate of bulk generation, on insulating layers and on the sticking or non-sticking behavior of charged inverse micelles at interfaces. For the cases of AOT and PIBS in dodecane, the magnitude of the generation rate and the type of interaction at the interface are very different.

Self-Heating-Induced Deterioration of Electromechanical Performance in Polymer-Supported Metal Films for Flexible Electronics

The retention of electrical performance under the combined conditions of mechanical strain and an electrical current is essential for flexible electronics. Here, we report that even below the critical current density required for electromigration, the electrical current can significantly deteriorate the electromechanical performance of metal film/polymer substrate systems. This leads to a loss of stretchability, and this effect becomes more severe with increasing strain as well as increasing current. The local increase of electrical resistance in the metal film caused by damage, such as localized deformations, cracks, etc., locally raises the temperature of the test sample via Joule heating. This weakens the deformation resistance of the polymer substrate, accelerating the necking instability, and consequently leading to a rapid loss of electrical conductivity with strain. To minimize such a current-induced deterioration of the polymer-supported metal films, we develop and demonstrate the feasibility of two methods that enhance the deformation resistance of the polymer substrate at elevated temperatures: increasing the thickness of the polymer substrate, and utilizing a polymer substrate with a high glass transition temperature.

A Highly Stretchable and Washable All-Yarn-Based Self-Charging Knitting Power Textile Composed of Fiber Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Supercapacitors

Rapid advancements in stretchable and multifunctional wearable electronics impose a challenge on corresponding power devices that they should have comparable portability and stretchability. Here, we report a highly stretchable and washable all-yarn-based self-charging knitting power textile that enables both biomechanical energy harvesting and simultaneously energy storing by hybridizing triboelectrical nanogenerator (TENG) and supercapacitor (SC) into one fabric. With the weft-knitting technique, the power textile is qualified with high elasticity, flexibility, and stretchability, which can adapt to complex mechanical deformations. The knitting TENG fabric is able to generate electric energy with a maximum instantaneous peak power density of ∼85 mW·m^-2 and light up at least 124 light-emitting diodes. The all-solid-state symmetrical yarn SC exhibits lightweight, good capacitance, high flexibility, and excellent mechanical and long-term stability, which is suitable for wearable energy storage devices. The assembled knitting power textile is capable of sustainably driving wearable electronics (for example, a calculator or temperature-humidity meter) with energy converted from human motions. Our work provides more opportunities for stretchable multifunctional power sources and potential applications in wearable electronics.

Thermally Stable Cellulose Nanocrystals toward High-Performance 2D and 3D Nanostructures

Cellulose nanomaterials have attracted much attention in a broad range of fields such as flexible electronics, tissue engineering, and 3D printing for their excellent mechanical strength and intriguing optical properties. Economic, sustainable, and eco-friendly production of cellulose nanomaterials with high thermal stability, however, remains a tremendous challenge. Here versatile cellulose nanocrystals (DM-OA-CNCs) are prepared through fully recyclable oxalic acid (OA) hydrolysis along with disk-milling (DM) pretreatment of bleached kraft eucalyptus pulp. Compared with the commonly used cellulose nanocrystals from sulfuric acid hydrolysis, DM-OA-CNCs show several advantages including large aspect ratio, carboxylated surface, and excellent thermal stability along with high yield. We also successfully demonstrate the fabrication of high-performance films and 3D-printed patterns using DM-OA-CNCs. The high-performance films with high transparency, ultralow haze, and excellent thermal stability have the great potential for applications in flexible electronic devices. The 3D-printed patterns with porous structures can be potentially applied in the field of tissue engineering as scaffolds.

Electrokinetics and behavior near the interface of colloidal particles in non-polar dispersions

The electrokinetics and charging of nonpolar colloidal dispersions subjected to a voltage are investigated by electric current and optical measurements. From electric current measurements in response to an alternating triangular voltage with a peak value of a few hundred volts, we find that polystyrene toner particles are compacted near the electrodes and their charge increases by more than a factor of 20. The important increase of charge is interpreted by a mechanism in which counter charges, which are originally at the particle surface, are desorbed. Optical measurements performed under a dc voltage of the order of a few hundred volts demonstrate that the charge of the particles can again decrease or even be inverted. These phenomena are attributed to the movement of counter charged species from the interface layers onto the surface of the particles. The findings of this study are relevant for electrophoretic displays and liquid toner printing.

Nature Degradable, Flexible, and Transparent Conductive Substrates from Green and Earth-Abundant Materials

The rapid development of wearable and disposable electronic devices and the rising awareness of environmental sustainability impose growing new demands on the nature degradability of current electronic and energy systems. Here we report a new type of flexible transparent conductive paper completely made from green and earth abundant materials which are also fully degradable and recyclable. Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) was deposited by low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) as the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer on transparent cellulose nanofibril (CNF) papers. The mesoporous structure of the CNF paper rendered strong adhesion of the AZO layer and exhibited excellent mechanical integrity and electrical conductivity within a wide range of tensile and compressive strains. The AZO-CNF paper could be completely dissolved in warm city water after one-hour stirring, demonstrating an excellent nature degradability. A flexible and transparent triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) was further fabricated using such AZO-CNF papers with a performance that was comparable to other synthetic polymer-based systems. This work illustrated a new and promising strategy of utilizing 100% green and degradable materials in novel electronic and energy harvesting devices.

Process Principles for Large-Scale Nanomanufacturing

Nanomanufacturing—the fabrication of macroscopic products from well-defined nanoscale building blocks—in a truly scalable and versatile manner is still far from our current reality. Here, we describe the barriers to large-scale nanomanufacturing and identify routes to overcome them. We argue for nanomanufacturing systems consisting of an iterative sequence of synthesis/assembly and separation/sorting unit operations, analogous to those used in chemicals manufacturing. In addition to performance and economic considerations, phenomena unique to the nanoscale must guide the design of each unit operation and the overall process flow. We identify and discuss four key nanomanufacturing process design needs: (a) appropriately selected process break points, (b) synthesis techniques appropriate for large-scale manufacturing, (c) new structure- and property-based separations, and (d) advances in stabilization and packaging.

Magnetic sensing platform technologies for biomedical applications

Detection and quantification of a variety of micro- and nanoscale entities, e.g. molecules, cells, and particles, are crucial components of modern biomedical research, in which biosensing platform technologies play a vital role. Confronted with the drastic global demographic changes, future biomedical research entails continuous development of new-generation biosensing platforms targeting even lower costs, more compactness, and higher throughput, sensitivity and selectivity. Among a wide choice of fundamental biosensing principles, magnetic sensing technologies enabled by magnetic field sensors and magnetic particles offer attractive advantages. The key features of a magnetic sensing format include the use of commercially available magnetic field sensing elements, e.g. magnetoresistive sensors which bear huge potential for compact integration, a magnetic field sensing mechanism which is free from interference by complex biomedical samples, and an additional degree of freedom for the on-chip handling of biochemical species rendered by magnetic labels. In this review, we highlight the historical basis, routes, recent advances and applications of magnetic biosensing platform technologies based on magnetoresistive sensors.

Nanogenerator-based dual-functional and self-powered thin patch loudspeaker or microphone for flexible electronics

Ferroelectret nanogenerators were recently introduced as a promising alternative technology for harvesting kinetic energy. Here we report the device's intrinsic properties that allow for the bidirectional conversion of energy between electrical and mechanical domains; thus extending its potential use in wearable electronics beyond the power generation realm. This electromechanical coupling, combined with their flexibility and thin film-like form, bestows dual-functional transducing capabilities to the device that are used in this work to demonstrate its use as a thin, wearable and self-powered loudspeaker or microphone patch. To determine the device's performance and applicability, sound pressure level is characterized in both space and frequency domains for three different configurations. The confirmed device's high performance is further validated through its integration in three different systems: a music-playing flag, a sound recording film and a flexible microphone for security applications.

Highly Transparent, Conductive, and Bendable Ag Nanowire Electrodes with Enhanced Mechanical Stability Based on Polyelectrolyte Adhesive Layer

In this paper, a highly transparent, conductive, and bendable Ag nanowire (AgNW)-based electrode with excellent mechanical stability was prepared through the introduction of an adhesive polyelectrolyte multilayer between AgNW networks and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The introduction of the adhesive layer was performed based on a peel-assembly-transfer procedure, and the adhesive polyelectrolyte greatly improved the mechanical stability of the AgNW transparent conductive films (TCFs) without obviously attenuating the morphology and optoelectrical properties of the AgNW networks. The as-prepared AgNW TCFs simultaneously possess high optical transparency, good conductivity, excellent flexibility, and remarkable mechanical stability. It is believed that the proposed strategy would pave a new way for preparing flexible transparent electrodes with a long-term stability, which is significant in the development and practical applications of flexible transparent electronic devices operated in severe environments.

Spatially Pressure-Mapped Thermochromic Interactive Sensor

A thermochromic-based interactive sensor that can generate local color switching and pressure mapping is developed using a 2D array of resistive pressure sensor switch. This thermochromic-based interactive sensor will enable the visualization of localized information in arbitrary shapes with dynamic responses in the context of serial/parallel pressure mapping and quantifying capability without optoelectronic arrays.

Measured electrical charge of SiO2 in polar and nonpolar media

We present measurements of the net electrical surface charge of silicon dioxide (SiO₂) in contact with solvents of dielectric constants between 5 and 80. Our experimental approach relies on observing the thermal motion of single silica particles confined in an electrostatic fluidic trap created by SiO₂ surfaces. We compare the experimentally measured functional form of the trapping potential with that from free energy calculations and thereby determine the net surface charge in the system. Our findings clearly demonstrate that contrary to popular perception, even in the absence of surfactants, the net electrical charge of ionizable surfaces in contact with apolar solvents can be large enough to lead to significant repulsive forces. A charge regulation model for SiO₂ surfaces with a single tunable parameter explains our measurements. This model may find general applicability in estimating the net charge of ionizable surfaces, given system parameters such as the dissociation or association constants of the ionizable groups and the pH, ionic strength, and dielectric constant of the solvent phase.

High Performance MgO-barrier Magnetic Tunnel Junctions for Flexible and Wearable Spintronic Applications

The magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) using MgO barrier is one of most important building blocks for spintronic devices and has been widely utilized as miniaturized magentic sensors. It could play an important role in wearable medical devices if they can be fabricated on flexible substrates. The required stringent fabrication processes to obtain high quality MgO-barrier MTJs, however, limit its integration with flexible electronics devices. In this work, we have developed a method to fabricate high-performance MgO-barrier MTJs directly onto ultrathin flexible silicon membrane with a thickness of 14 μm and then transfer-and-bond to plastic substrates. Remarkably, such flexible MTJs are fully functional, exhibiting a TMR ratio as high as 190% under bending radii as small as 5 mm. The devices‘ robustness is manifested by its retained excellent performance and unaltered TMR ratio after over 1000 bending cycles. The demonstrated flexible MgO-barrier MTJs opens the door to integrating high-performance spintronic devices in flexible and wearable electronics devices for a plethora of biomedical sensing applications.

Wearable Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Fabrics Produced by Knitting Flexible Wire Electrodes for the Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

One of the key reasons for the limited use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) is its inability to treat non-flat, three-dimensional (3D) surface structures, such as electronic devices and the human body, because of the rigid electrode structure required. In this study, a new APP system design—wearable APP (WAPP)—that utilizes a knitting technique to assemble flexible co-axial wire electrodes into a large-area plasma fabric is presented. The WAPP device operates in ambient air with a fully enclosed power electrode and grounded outer electrode. The plasma fabric is flexible and lightweight, and it can be scaled up for larger areas, making it attractive for wearable APP applications. Here, we report the various plasma properties of the WAPP device and successful test results showing the decontamination of toxic chemical warfare agents, namely, mustard (HD), soman (GD), and nerve (VX) agents.

Photo-induced orientation behaviors of azobenzene liquid crystal copolymers for photonic crystals

Light response inside is improved by decrease of light absorption near surface based on LC cooperative orientation.

Low electrical resistivity of a graphene–AgNHPs based ink with a new processing method

AgNHPs was purified with membrane separation-centrifugation cleaning and syntheses the GE–AgNHPs with the low resistivity (2.5 × 10⁻⁶ Ω cm) at low temperatures.

Designing of blue, green, and red CsPbX3 perovskite-codoped flexible films with water resistant property and elimination of anion-exchange for tunable white light emission

The blue, green, and red CsPbX₃ QDs-codoped flexible films were prepared. The resulting films are resistant to water, preventing anion exchange and significantly prolonging the lifetime of light emitters under ambient air conditions.

All-in-One Shape-Adaptive Self-Charging Power Package for Wearable Electronics

Recently, a self-charging power unit consisting of an energy harvesting device and an energy storage device set the foundation for building a self-powered wearable system. However, the flexibility of the power unit working under extremely complex deformations (e.g., stretching, twisting, and bending) becomes a key issue. Here, we present a prototype of an all-in-one shape-adaptive self-charging power unit that can be used for scavenging random body motion energy under complex mechanical deformations and then directly storing it in a supercapacitor unit to build up a self-powered system for wearable electronics. A kirigami paper based supercapacitor (KP-SC) was designed to work as the flexible energy storage device (stretchability up to 215%). An ultrastretchable and shape-adaptive silicone rubber triboelectric nanogenerator (SR-TENG) was utilized as the flexible energy harvesting device. By combining them with a rectifier, a stretchable, twistable, and bendable, self-charging power package was achieved for sustainably driving wearable electronics. This work provides a potential platform for the flexible self-powered systems.

Graphene-Ag nanohexagonal platelets-based ink with high electrical properties at low sintering temperatures

Printed-electronics inks belong to a class of novel functional conductive inks that can be used to form high-precision conducting lines or circuits on various flexible substrates. Previous studies have reported conductive inks produced by the reduction and membrane separation method for use in flexible devices. However, it remains a challenge to synthesize conductive inks with high electrical properties at low sintering temperatures, which restricts their range of applications. Herein, we prepare inkjet-printed patterns of conductive inks consisting of Ag nanohexagonal platelets (AgNHPs) as the main component and containing graphene (GE) in different contents. It is found that GE improves the electrical conductivity of the patterns when sintering is done at relatively low temperatures. For instance, when the GE content is 0.15 mg ml(-1), the resistivity is the lowest. When sintering is done at 150 °C, the resistivity (2.7 × 10(-6) Ω · cm) of the GE-AgNHPs conductive ink (GE: 0.15 mg ml(-1)) is 14% of that of the AgNHPs conductive ink; on the other hand, after sintering at 50 °C, this ratio is 2%. It is also found that, with the increase in GE content, the resistivity of the GE-AgNHPs conductive ink increases. This study on GE-AgNHPs conductive inks sintered at low temperatures should further the development of flexible touch screens.

Highly Conductive, Air-Stable Silver Nanowire@Iongel Composite Films toward Flexible Transparent Electrodes

A new type of flexible transparent electrode is designed, by employing wettability-induced selective electroless-welding of silver nanowire (AgNW) networks, together with a thin conductive iongel as the protective layer. The obtained electrode exhibits high optical transmittance, and excellent air-stability without sacrificing conductivity.

Nanoscale Electrodes for Flexible Electronics by Swelling Controlled Cracking

Nanogap electrodes are realized using pre-patterned electrodes and a swelling controlled cracking method. Parallel fabrication of nanogap electrodes on flexible substrates can be achieved using this method. This swelling-controlled cracking method is promising for fabricating high-performance flexible electronics. UV photodetectors with ZnO nanoparticle-bridged nanogap electrodes exhibit high responsivity and external quantum efficiency.

Different Types of Charged-Inverse Micelles in Nonpolar Media

Over the last few years, the electrodynamics of charged inverse micelles (CIMs) in nonpolar liquids and the generation mechanism and properties of newly generated CIMs have been studied extensively for the model system of polyisobutylene succinimide in dodecane. However, the newly generated CIMs, which accumulate at the electrodes when a continuous voltage is applied, behave differently compared to the regular CIMs present in equilibrium in the absence of a field. In this work, we use transient current measurements to investigate the behavior of the newly generated CIMs when the field is reduced to zero or reversed. We demonstrate that the newly generated CIMs do not participate in the diffuse double layer near the electrode formed by the regular CIMs but form an interface layer at the electrode surface. A fraction of the newly generated negative CIMs can be released from this interface layer when the field there becomes zero. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of fundamental processes in nonpolar liquids and are relevant for applications such as electronic ink displays and liquid toner printing.

Flexible Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting and Self-Powered Electronics

Flexible nanogenerators that efficiently convert mechanical energy into electrical energy have been extensively studied because of their great potential for driving low-power personal electronics and self-powered sensors. Integration of flexibility and stretchability to nanogenerator has important research significance that enables applications in flexible/stretchable electronics, organic optoelectronics, and wearable electronics. Progress in nanogenerators for mechanical energy harvesting is reviewed, mainly including two key technologies: flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) and flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). By means of material classification, various approaches of PENGs based on ZnO nanowires, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), 2D materials, and composite materials are introduced. For flexible TENG, its structural designs and factors determining its output performance are discussed, as well as its integration, fabrication and applications. The latest representative achievements regarding the hybrid nanogenerator are also summarized. Finally, some perspectives and challenges in this field are discussed.

Charging Mechanism for Polymer Particles in Nonpolar Surfactant Solutions: Influence of Polymer Type and Surface Functionality

Surface charging phenomena in nonpolar dispersions are exploited in a wide range of industrial applications, but their mechanistic understanding lags far behind. We investigate the surface charging of a variety of polymer particles with different surface functionality in alkane solutions of a custom-synthesized and purified polyisobutylene succinimide (PIBS) polyamine surfactant and a related commercial surfactant mixture commonly used to control particle charge. We find that the observed electrophoretic particle mobility cannot be explained exclusively by donor-acceptor interactions between surface functional groups and surfactant polar moieties. Our results instead suggest an interplay of multiple charging pathways, which likely include the competitive adsorption of ions generated among inverse micelles in the solution bulk. We discuss possible factors affecting the competitive adsorption of micellar ions, such as the chemical nature of the particle bulk material and the size asymmetry between inverse micelles of opposite charge.

Janus Particles in a Nonpolar Solvent

Amphiphilic Janus particles are currently receiving great attention as "solid surfactants". Previous studies have introduced such particles with a variety of shapes and functions, but there has so far been a strong emphasis on water-dispersible particles that mimic the molecular surfactants soluble in polar solvents. Here we present an example of lipophilic Janus particles which are selectively dispersible in very nonpolar solvents such as alkanes. Interfacial tension measurements between the alkane dispersions and pure water indicate that these particles do have interfacial activity, and like typical hydrophobic, nonionic surfactants, they do not partition to the aqueous bulk. We also show that the oil-borne particles, by retaining locally polar domains where charges can reside, generate electric conductivity in nonpolar liquids-another feature familiar from molecular surfactants and one commonly exploited to mitigate explosion hazards due to flow electrification during petroleum pumping and in the formulation of electronic inks.

Space charge limited release of charged inverse micelles in non-polar liquids

Charged inverse micelles (CIMs) generated during a continuous polarizing voltage between electrodes in the model system of polyisobutylene succinimide in dodecane do not populate a diffuse double layer like CIMs present in equilibrium (regular CIMs), but instead end up in interface layers.

Synthesis of stable CucoreAgshell&Ag particles for direct writing flexible paper-based electronics

Highly conductive flexible paper-based patterns were drawn directly using a brush pen dipped in ink consisting of copper–silver core–shell with individual silver (Cu_coreAg_shell&Ag) particles.

A Study of the Preparation and Properties of Antioxidative Copper Inks with High Electrical Conductivity

Conductive ink using copper nanoparticles has attracted much attention in the printed electronics industry because of its low cost and high electrical conductivity. However, the problem of easy oxidation under heat and humidity conditions for copper material limits the wide applications. In this study, antioxidative copper inks were prepared by dispersing the nanoparticles in the solution, and then conductive copper films can be obtained after calcining the copper ink at 250 °C in nitrogen atmosphere for 30 min. A low sheet resistance of 47.6 mΩ/□ for the copper film was measured by using the four-point probe method. Importantly, we experimentally demonstrate that the electrical conductivity of copper films can be improved by increasing the calcination temperature. In addition, these highly conductive copper films can be placed in an atmospheric environment for more than 6 months without the oxidation phenomenon, which was verified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). These observations strongly show that our conductive copper ink features high antioxidant properties and long-term stability and has a great potential for many printed electronics applications, such as flexible display systems, sensors, photovoltaic cells, and radio frequency identification.

Mechanisms of Particle Charging by Surfactants in Nonpolar Dispersions

Electric charging of colloidal particles in nonpolar solvents plays a crucial role for many industrial applications and products, including rubbers, engine oils, toners, or electronic displays. Although disfavored by the low solvent permittivity, particle charging can be induced by added surfactants, even nonionic ones, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood, and neither the magnitude nor the sign of charge can generally be predicted from the particle and surfactant properties. The conclusiveness of scientific studies has been limited partly by a traditional focus on few surfactant types with many differences in their chemical structure and often poorly defined composition. Here we investigate the surface charging of poly(methyl methacrylate) particles dispersed in hexane-based solutions of three purified polyisobutylene succinimide polyamine surfactants with "subtle" structural variations. We precisely vary the surfactant chemistry by replacing only a single electronegative atom located at a fixed position within the polar headgroup. Electrophoresis reveals that these small differences between the surfactants lead to qualitatively different particle charging. In the respective particle-free surfactant solutions we also find potentially telling differences in the size of the surfactant aggregates (inverse micelles), the residual water content, and the electric solution conductivity as well as indications for a significant size difference between oppositely charged inverse micelles of the most hygroscopic surfactant. An analysis that accounts for the acid/base properties of all constituents suggests that the observed particle charging is better described by asymmetric adsorption of charged inverse micelles from the liquid bulk than by charge creation at the particle surface. Intramicellar acid-base interaction and intermicellar surfactant exchange help rationalize the formation of micellar ions pairs with size asymmetry.

Charging Dynamics of Aerosol OT Inverse Micelles

Aerosol OT (AOT) is a commonly used surfactant and charging agent in nonpolar liquids. Properties such as the conductivity of AOT suspensions in nonpolar liquids and the behavior of charged AOT inverse micelles at interfaces have been studied recently, but still little is known about the generation dynamics of charged AOT inverse micelles. In this article, the generation dynamics of charged AOT inverse micelles in dodecane are investigated with transient current measurements. At low applied voltages, the generation rate is sufficiently fast to maintain the equilibrium concentration of charged inverse micelles, such that the current scales proportionally with the applied voltage. However, above a threshold voltage the current becomes limited by the generation of charged inverse micelles. Al2O3-coated electrodes are used to achieve these high-voltage current measurements while reducing surface generation currents. The dependency of the resulting generation-limited currents with the micelle concentration and the liquid volume is compatible with a bulk disproportionation mechanism. The measured currents are analyzed using a model based on drift, generation, and recombination of charged inverse micelles and the corresponding generation and recombination rates of charged AOT inverse micelles have been determined.

Visual Performance With Small Concave and Convex Displays

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aim to investigate how users' visual performance with a small flexible display changes based on the direction (i.e., convex, concave) and the magnitude (i.e., low, high) of the display curvature.

BACKGROUND

Despite the wide interest in flexible display materials and deformable displays, the potential effects of nonplanar display surfaces on human perception and performance have received little attention. This study is the first to demonstrate how curving affects visual performance with an actual flexible display (4.5-in. active-matrix organic light-emitting diode).

METHOD

In a series of three experiments, we compared the performance with a planar display to the performance with concave and convex display surfaces with low and high curvature magnitudes. Two visual search tasks were employed that required the subject to detect target letters based on their contrast (Experiments 1 and 2) and identity (Experiment 3). Performance was measured as the sensitivity of target detection (d') and threshold time of the search, respectively.

RESULTS

There were similar sensitivities for targets across the curvature variants, but the high-magnitude curvatures resulted in prolonged search times, especially for the convex form. In both of the tasks, performance was dependent on the display location, which was defined as the target's distance from the display center.

CONCLUSION

High curvature magnitudes should be avoided, even in small displays, because large local changes in visual stimuli decrease processing speed outside the central display.

APPLICATION

The findings have implications for the development of technologies, applications, and user interfaces for flexible displays and the design of visual display devices.

Kirigami-based stretchable lithium-ion batteries

We have produced stretchable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) using the concept of kirigami, i.e., a combination of folding and cutting. The designated kirigami patterns have been discovered and implemented to achieve great stretchability (over 150%) to LIBs that are produced by standardized battery manufacturing. It is shown that fracture due to cutting and folding is suppressed by plastic rolling, which provides kirigami LIBs excellent electrochemical and mechanical characteristics. The kirigami LIBs have demonstrated the capability to be integrated and power a smart watch, which may disruptively impact the field of wearable electronics by offering extra physical and functionality design spaces.

The role of acid-base effects on particle charging in apolar media

The creation and stabilization of electric charge in apolar environments (dielectric constant≈2) have been an area of interest dating back to when an explanation was sought for the occurrence of what are now known as electrokinetic explosions during the pumping of fuels. More recently attention has focused on the charging of suspended particles in such media, underlying such applications as electrophoretic displays (e.g., the Amazon Kindle® reader) and new printing devices (e.g., the HP Indigo® Digital Press). The endeavor has been challenging owing to the complexity of the systems involved and the large number of factors that appear to be important. A number of different, and sometimes conflicting, theories for particle surface charging have been advanced, but most observations obtained in the authors' laboratory, as well as others, appear to be explainable in terms of an acid-base mechanism. Adducts formed between chemical functional groups on the particle surface and monomers of reverse micelle-forming surfactants dissociate, leaving charged groups on the surface, while the counter-charges formed are sequestered in the reverse micelles. For a series of mineral oxides in a given medium with a given surfactant, surface charging (as quantified by the maximum electrophoretic mobility or zeta potential obtained as surfactant concentration is varied) was found to scale linearly with the aqueous PZC (or IEP) values of the oxides. Different surfactants, with the same oxide series, yielded similar behavior, but with different PZC crossover points between negative and positive particle charging, and different slopes of charge vs. PZC. Thus the oxide series could be used as a yardstick to characterize the acid-base properties of the surfactants. This has led directly to the study of other materials, including surface-modified oxides, carbon blacks, pigments (charge transfer complexes), and polymer latices. This review focuses on the acid-base mechanism of particle charging in the context of the many other factors that are important to the phenomenon, including the presence of water, of other components (e.g., synergists and contaminants), and of electric field effects. The goal is the construction of a road map describing the anticipated particle charging behavior in a wide variety of systems, assisting in the choice or development of materials for specific applications.