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Crumple-recoverable electronics based on plastic to elastic deformation transitions

Nature Electronics volume 7, pages 66–76 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Crumpling is potentially a quick and efficient way to pack sheet-like electronic devices at a high compression ratio. However, crumpling is not applicable to conventional electronic devices because disordered and irreversible plastic deformation can occur, which affects electronic function. Here we report crumple-recoverable electronics based on heterogenous integration of silver nanowires, a shape memory polymer and an elastomer. Our approach is inspired by the emergence process of butterfly wings, which have variable stiffnesses as they unfold, and allows the mechanical properties of sheet-like devices to transform via thermal modulation from an elastic (2 MPa) state suitable for smoothing out wrinkles formed during crumpling to a plastic (1,315 MPa) state suitable for free-standing operation. We use the approach to create touch panels (7 cm by 7 cm) that can be crumpled and packed into capsules (1 ml volume), and then used as a flat and smooth surface for reliable touch sensing after unpacking.

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Fig. 1: Nature-inspired HIS.
Fig. 2: Mechanism of self-smoothing and recovery of the electronic resistance in the HIS.
Fig. 3: Double-sided HIS design for low surface friction and touch panel adhesion.
Fig. 4: Optical characteristics of the HIS.
Fig. 5: Highly packable and portable human–machine interface.

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Data availability

Source data are provided with this paper. All other data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by funding from NRF of Korea (grant no. 2019R1H1A1080221, 2019R1F1A1063066, 2019R1C1C1007629, 2021R1A6A3A13045869, 2022R1A2C2093100, RS-2023-00271830, RS-2023-00277110), the new faculty research fund of Ajou University and the Ajou University research fund. This work was supported by Korea Environment Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) through Digital Infrastructure Building Project for Monitoring, Surveying, and Evaluating the Environmental Health Program, funded by Korea Ministry of Environment (2021003330009).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Yeonwook Roh, Seunggon Lee, Sang Min Won.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Multiscale Bio-inspired Technology Lab, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Yeonwook Roh, Seunggon Lee, Suhyeon Hwang, Dohyeon Gong, Changhwan Kim, Insic Hong, Daseul Lim, Hyeongseok Kim, Minho Kim, Baekgyeom Kim, Taewi Kim, Sunghoon Im, Dongwook Shin, Je-Sung Koh, Daeshik Kang & Seungyong Han

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Sang Min Won

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Interactive and Intelligent Robotics Lab, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Uikyum Kim

  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Jungil Choi

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Contributions

Y.R. led the work. S.L. designed the experiments. D.G., H.K. and M.K. performed mechanical modelling. S.H., D.L., I.H., C.K., S.I., B.K., D.S. and T.K. manufacture the HIS-based touch panel. S.M.W., T.K., J.C. and U.K. contributed analysis of the mechanical characterization for the HIS. J-S.K., D.K. and S. Han supervised the work.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Je-Sung Koh, Daeshik Kang or Seungyong Han.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Peer review information

Nature Electronics thanks Tao Chen, Xuechang Zhou and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Methods, Notes 1–7, Figs. 1–24, Table 1 and Videos 1–3.

Supplementary Video 1

Restoring mechanical and electronic malfunctions from the HIS being packed in a cramped cell.

Supplementary Video 2

Comparison of writing on same HIS in different condition.

Supplementary Video 3

Playing on the skin-attachable HIS-based touch panel with low friction.

Source data

Source Data Fig. 2

Source data for Figs. 2h, 2i.

Source Data Fig. 3

Source data for Figs. 3h, 3i, 3d, 3f, 3g.

Source Data Fig. 4

Source data for Figs. 4c, 4f.

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Roh, Y., Lee, S., Won, S.M. et al. Crumple-recoverable electronics based on plastic to elastic deformation transitions. Nat Electron 7, 66–76 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-023-01089-6

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