'Breathable' electronics pave the way for more functional wearable tech
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Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new type of ultrathin, stretchable electronic material that is gas permeable, enhancing comfort and functionality for wearable technologies. This material enables the evaporation of sweat and organic compounds, addressing issues related to skin irritation during long-term wear. Prototypes were tested for applications in electrophysiological sensors and touch-sensing interfaces, marking a significant advancement in wearable electronics.
'Breathable' electronics pave the way for more functional wearable tech
- 1. Your source for the latest research news Date: Source: Summary: Share: Science News from research organizations 'Breathable' electronics pave the way for more functional wearable tech April 30, 2020 North Carolina State University Engineering researchers have created ultrathin, stretchable electronic material that is gas permeable, allowing the material to 'breathe.' The material was designed specifically for use in biomedical or wearable technologies, since the gas permeability allows sweat and volatile organic compounds to evaporate away from the skin, making it more comfortable for users -- especially for long-term wear. a b e g d FULL STORY Engineering researchers have created ultrathin, stretchable electronic material that is gas permeable, allowing the material to "breathe." The material was designed specifically for use in biomedical or wearable technologies, since the gas permeability allows sweat and volatile organic compounds to evaporate away from the skin, making it more comfortable for users -- especially for long-term wear. "The gas permeability is the big advance over earlier stretchable electronics," says Yong Zhu, co-corresponding author of a paper on the work and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University. "But the method we used for creating the material is also important because it's a simple process that would be easy to scale up." Specifically, the researchers used a technique called the breath figure method to create a stretchable polymer film featuring an even distribution of holes. The film is coated by dipping it in a solution that contains silver nanowires. The researchers then heat-press the material to seal the nanowires in place. "The resulting film shows an excellent combination of electric conductivity, optical transmittance and water-vapor permeability," Zhu says. "And because the silver nanowires are embedded just below the surface of the polymer, the material also exhibits excellent stability in the presence of sweat and after long-term wear." "The end result is extremely thin -- only a few micrometers thick," says Shanshan Yao, co-author of the paper and a former postdoctoral researcher at NC State who is now on faculty at Stony Brook University. "This allows for better contact with the skin, giving the electronics a better signal-to-noise ratio. "And gas permeability of wearable electronics is important for more than just comfort," Yao says. "If a wearable device is not gas permeable, it can also cause skin irritation." To demonstrate the material's potential for use in wearable electronics, the researchers developed and tested prototypes for two representative applications. The first prototype consisted of skin-mountable, dry electrodes for use as electrophysiologic sensors. These have multiple potential applications, such as measuring electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals. "These sensors were able to record signals with excellent quality, on par with commercially available electrodes," Zhu says. The second prototype demonstrated textile-integrated touch sensing for human-machine interfaces. The authors used a wearable textile sleeve integrated with the porous electrodes to play computer games such as Tetris. "If we want to develop wearable sensors or user interfaces that can be worn for a significant period of time, we need gas-permeable electronic materials," Zhu says. "So this is a significant step forward."
- 2. Cite This Page: North Carolina State University. "'Breathable' electronics pave the way for more functional wearable tech." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 April 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200430113005.htm>. Story Source: Materials provided by North Carolina State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference: 1. Weixin Zhou, Shanshan Yao, Hongyu Wang, Qingchuan Du, Yanwen Ma, Yong Zhu. Gas-Permeable, Ultrathin, Stretchable Epidermal Electronics with Porous Electrodes. ACS Nano, 2020; DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00906 MLA APA Chicago RELATED STORIES Creating Stretchable Thermoelectric Generators Mar. 24, 2020 — For the first time, a soft and stretchable organic thermoelectric module has been created that can harvest energy from body heat. The breakthrough was enabled by a new composite material that may ... read more Robots Activated by Water May Be the Next Frontier May 22, 2019 — Scientists have developed material that can drive mechanical systems, with movements controlled by a pattern set into the design. Potential applications include opening windows in humidity, and ... read more Stretchy Solar Cells a Step Closer Nov. 13, 2018 — Scientists have developed flexible organic photovoltaics with a chemical additive that mitigates the material's brittle qualities. At the right concentration, thiol-ene molecules infiltrate the ... read more Materials Mystery Key to Next-Generation Electronic Devices Solved Feb. 5, 2018 — Scientists have provided evidence of a hole gas coexisting with two-dimensional electron gas. They designed an ultrathin material, known as a thin film structure, specifically for this ... read more FROM AROUND THE WEB Below are relevant articles that may interest you. ScienceDaily shares links with scholarly publications in the TrendMD network and earns revenue from third-party advertisers, where indicated. Dutch Firm Molecular Biology Systems Validating Rapid Thermal Cycler for COVID-19 Testing Madeleine Johnson, GenomeWeb, 2020 New Zealand Funds Research Pairing Ubiquitome, Oxford Nanopore Devices for SARS-CoV-2 Detection Ben Butkus, GenomeWeb, 2020 Pocket-Sized Point-of-Care Device Leverages Smartphone for Sensitive DNA Detection, Amplification Leo O'Connor, GenomeWeb, 2020 Coronavirus in the Crescent City Ciara Curtin, GenomeWeb, 2020 Cell Studies on Digital Embryo Approach, Oxygen Response Screens, Genomic View of SARS-CoV-2 Ciara Curtin, GenomeWeb, 2020 Left BARDA Behind Ciara Curtin, GenomeWeb, 2020 Therapies after first-line afatinib in patients with EGFRm+ NSCLC in Japan: retrospective analysis of LUX-Lung 3 Hiroshige Yoshioka et al, ., 2020 Swab from the Couch