Aligned Conjugated Polymer Nanofiber Networks in an Elastomer Matrix for High-Performance Printed Stretchable Electronics
Wenliang Huang, Xinmei Liu, Zicheng Ding, Zhongli Wang, Chenhui Xu, Ruipeng Li, Shumei Wang, Yin Wu, Ru Qin, Yang Han, Yang Han, Yanhou Geng, Shengzhong Liu, Yanchun Han, Yanchun Han, Kui Zhao
Abstract
Conjugated polymer films are promising in wearable X-ray detection. However, achieving optimal film microstructure possessing good electrical and detection performance under large deformation via scalable printing remains challenging. Herein, we report bar-coated high-performance stretchable films based on a conjugated polymer P(TDPP-Se) and elastomer SEBS blend by optimizing the solution-processing conditions. The moderate preaggregation in solution and prolonged growth dynamics from a solvent mixture with limited dissolving capacity is critical to forming aligned P(TDPP-Se) chains/crystalline nanofibers in the SEBS phase with enhanced π–π stacking for charge transport and stress dissipation. The film shows a large elongation at break of >400% and high mobilities of 5.29 cm 2 V –1 s –1 at 0% strain and 1.66 cm 2 V –1 s –1 over 500 stretch–release cycles at 50% strain, enabling good X-ray imaging with a high sensitivity of 1501.52 μC Gy air –1 cm –2 . Our work provides a morphology control strategy toward high-performance conjugated polymer film-based stretchable electronics.