Asian Scientist (Jul. 26, 2013) – Researchers have developed extremely lightweight, thin, flexible and virtually unbreakable electronic foils that can conform to any desired shape.
The electronic foils, described in a paper published in Nature this week, can potentially be used in medical treatment and monitoring, heat sensors, displays and solar cells.
By fabricating integrated organic circuits directly onto ultrathin plastic films, the researchers were able to make electronic circuit foils that are only two micrometers thick.
These foils weigh so little that they float through air much like a feather. They can also able to withstand repeated severe bending and stretching, can be crumpled like paper, and work at elevated temperatures and in wet environments.
In their paper, the researchers demonstrated how the flexible electronic foil can act as a tactile sensor on a model of the upper human jaw, illustrating the potential uses of this technology in health care and monitoring, where imperceptible sensing and actuating systems are required to minimize patient discomfort.
The article can be found at: Kaltenbrunner et al. (2013) An Ultra-Lightweight Design For Imperceptible Plastic Electronics.
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Source: Nature ; Photo: gemsling/Flickr.
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