Journal
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 9, Issue 37, Pages 32290-32298Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b10443
Keywords
self-folding; multimaterial 3D-printing; flexible electronics; electrochromic pixels; robotics
Funding
- DARPA SIMPLEX program through SPAWAR [N66001-15-C-4030]
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Self-transforming structures are gaining prominence due to their general ability to adopt programmed shapes each tailored for specific functions. Composites that self-fold have so far relied on using the stimuliresponsive mechanisms focusing on reversible shape change. Integrating additional functions within these composites can rapidly enhance their practical applicability; however, this remains a challenging problem. Here, we demonstrate a method for spontaneous folding of three-dimensional (3D)-printed composites with embedded electronics at room temperature. The composite is printed using a multimaterial 3D-printing process with no external processing steps. Upon peeling from the print platform, the composite self-shapes itself using the residual forces resulting from polymer swelling during the layer-by-layer fabrication process. As a specific example, electrochromic elements are printed within the composite and can be electrically controlled through its folded legs. Our shape-transformation scheme provides a route to transform planar electronics into nonplanar geometries containing the overhangs. Integrating electronics within complex 3D shapes can enable new applications in sensing and robotics.
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