Unbroken: New soft electronics don't break, even when punctured
'We're excited about our progress and envision these materials as key components for emerging soft technologies'
Published 2021-06-25 · Original archive entry · Explore research explainers
Want a smartphone that stretches, takes damage, and still doesn't miss a call?
A team of Virginia Tech researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Macromolecules Innovation Institute has created a new type of soft electronics, paving the way for devices that are self-healing, reconfigurable, and recyclable. These skin-like circuits are soft and stretchy, sustain numerous damage events under load without losing electrical conductivity, and can be recycled to generate new circuits at the end of a product's life.
Led by Assistant Professor Michael Bartlett, the team recently published its findings in END
A team of Virginia Tech researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Macromolecules Innovation Institute has created a new type of soft electronics, paving the way for devices that are self-healing, reconfigurable, and recyclable. These skin-like circuits are soft and stretchy, sustain numerous damage events under load without losing electrical conductivity, and can be recycled to generate new circuits at the end of a product's life.
Led by Assistant Professor Michael Bartlett, the team recently published its findings in END