Stretchable self-healable semiconducting polymer film for active-matrix strain-sensing array.

Oh, Jin Young; Son, Donghee; Katsumata, Toru; Lee, Yeongjun; Kim, Yeongin; Lopez, Jeffrey; Wu, Hung-Chin; Kang, Jiheong et al. · Sci Adv · 2019

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Skin-like sensory devices should be stretchable and self-healable to meet the demands for future electronic skin applications. Despite recent notable advances in skin-inspired electronic materials, it remains challenging to confer these desired functionalities to an active semiconductor. Here, we report a strain-sensitive, stretchable, and autonomously self-healable semiconducting film achieved through blending of a polymer semiconductor and a self-healable elastomer, both of which are dynamically cross-linked by metal coordination. We observed that by controlling the percolation threshold of the polymer semiconductor, the blend film became strain sensitive, with a gauge factor of 5.75 × 10<sup>5</sup> at 100% strain in a stretchable transistor. The blend film is also highly stretchable (fracture strain, >1300%) and autonomously self-healable at room temperature. We proceed to demonstrate a fully integrated 5 × 5 stretchable active-matrix transistor sensor array capable of detecting strain distribution through surface deformation.