UCF lab stretching electronics into the future

ORLANDO, Fla. - Smart clothing, smart bandages, maybe even smart tattoos could be right around the corner thanks in-part to some ultra-thin, ultra-stretchy technology being developed at the University of Central Florida.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering professor Dr. Eric Jung and PHD student Emmanuel Okogbue have been working to create nearly 2 dimensional components that could perform like bulkier tech, but stretch and move without breaking.

They’ve found a solution in an Ancient Japanese paper art called Kirigami. Like Origami, Kirigami uses small pieces of paper to make artistic designs, but instead of folding, a series of small, symmetrical cuts are made to create patterns.

Okogbue showed on a cut Kirigami pattern that it doesn’t only make an interesting design, but also allows for normally rigid paper to stretch and be manipulated.
Well the lab’s doing the same thing with their components.

They’re laser cutting small pieces of plastic-film-like polyimide substrate into Kirigami patterns and then introducing metals like platinum and selenium to the design. Unlike other attempts that have tried to put those metal components on top of the pattern though, Dr. Jung’s design actually uses a red-hot furnace to combine the two pieces into one component.

Okogbue said their creating isn’t just proving a good electronic component, but it is proving very, very stretchy. He said their tests have created components that can stretch to more than 2000% their original size.

Something like that could have a number of different applications from super stretchy charging cords to other flexible electronics.
Okogbue said some of the most exciting uses could be in smart clothing that could monitor a person’s muscles and vitals, smart bandages or patches that could heat and cool or send reports to a doctor, possibly even smart tattoos.

Dr. Jung said the technology still has a ways to go, but they are very pleased with what they have discovered so far.