A Hierarchical Nanoparticle‐in‐Micropore Architecture for Enhanced Mechanosensitivity and Stretchability in Mechanochromic Electronic Skins

Abstract

Biological tissues are multiresponsive and functional, and similar properties might be possible in synthetic systems by merging responsive polymers with hierarchical soft architectures. For example, mechanochromic polymers have applications in force‐responsive colorimetric sensors and soft robotics, but their integration into sensitive, multifunctional devices remains challenging. Herein, a hierarchical nanoparticle‐in‐micropore (NP‐MP) architecture in porous mechanochromic polymers, which enhances the mechanosensitivity and stretchability of mechanochromic electronic skins (e‐skins), is reported. The hierarchical NP‐MP structure results in stress‐concentration‐induced mechanochemical activation of mechanophores, significantly improving the mechanochromic sensitivity to both tensile strain and normal force (critical tensile strain: 50% and normal force: 1 N). Furthermore, the porous mechanochromic composites exhibit a reversible mechanochromism under a strain of 250%. This architecture enables a dual‐mode mechanochromic e‐skin for detecting static/dynamic forces via mechanochromism and triboelectricity. The hierarchical NP‐MP architecture provides a general platform to develop mechanochromic composites with high sensitivity and stretchability.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
May 09, 2019
Source ID
10.1002/adma.201808148

Entities

People

  • Chunggi Baig
  • Hyunhyub Ko
  • Jin-Young Kim
  • Jinyoung Myoung
  • Jonghwa Park
  • Meredith H Barbee
  • Minsoo P. Kim
  • Ravi Shanker
  • Seungse Cho
  • Soowon Cho
  • Stephen L Craig
  • Youngoh Lee

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Army Research Office
  • Duke University
  • National Research Foundation of Korea
  • National Science Foundation
  • Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Readers

  • Military Logistics and Supply Chain Management
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Polymer Science and Technology

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • Autonomy
  • Biotechnology
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems