(181b) Polymer Composite for Deformable Electronics

Polymers, while diverse in their chemistry and mechanical properties, are most commonly insulating with a few exceptions of fairly low conductivity conjugated materials. Composites of polymers enable the combination of the deformability, lightweight, and relatively low cost of polymers with the unique magnetic, electrical, or otherwise responsive properties of fillers. This work will explore a variety of polymer composites utilizing unique filler materials, including the room-temperature liquid metal galinstan (gallium-indium-tin), as well as host polymers that impart thermoplastic (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, SEBS), thermoset (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS), or environmentally benign (paper) characteristics to the bulk composite. The electromechanical properties of the composites will be explored including the high permittivity and high elasticity of liquid metal polymer composites (LMPCs, overcoming the typical electrical-stiffness tradeoff of rigid fillers) as well as their dielectric aging and repeated loading behavior in addition to the relationship between formulation and conductive, capacitive, and magnetic behavior of filler-loaded paper. By fully exploring the space of polymer composites for deformable electronics, applications such as soft robotics, manufacturing electronics at the point of need, and ultra-comfortable wearable sensors will be enabled. Ongoing work continues to expand this toolbox and deeply understand the fundamental interfacial, electrical, and mechanical mechanisms that govern the resulting behavior.