TL;DR: The implementation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) on frame welding machines using the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) method at PT Electronics Components Indonesia has significantly improved operational efficiency and quality control, resulting in an average OEE value exceeding the global standard.
Abstract: PT. Electronics Components Indonesia manufactures capacitors and focuses on enhancing productivity and operational efficiency of the frame welding machines through effective maintenance. This study employs a quantitative method to analyze the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) values, including availability, performance efficiency, and rate of quality, as well as conducting a Six Big Losses analysis. The results indicate that the average availability reached 97.83%, with a significant decrease in August due to downtime. Performance efficiency remained consistently above 90%, although higher product output tended to reduce efficiency. The rate of quality was stable and high, reflecting improvements in production processes and quality control. The average OEE value reached 88%, exceeding the global standard of 85%. To further enhance the effectiveness of the frame welding machines, suggested improvements include operator training, regular performance evaluations, attention to operator well-being, selection of high-quality raw materials, updating SOPs, regular preventive maintenance, improving workplace safety, and investing in backup energy systems. In conclusion, the improvements implemented successfully enhanced the performance and operational quality of the frame welding machines.
TL;DR: Flexible MXene hydrogel electronics enable high-quality epidermal electrophysiological signal monitoring, photothermal therapeutic performances, and antibacterial/hemostasis activities, paving the way for seamless human-interactive sensing and medical treatment.
Abstract: Wearable epidermic electronics assembled from conductive hydrogels are attracting various research attention for their seamless integration with human body for conformally real-time health monitoring, clinical diagnostics and medical treatment, and human-interactive sensing. Nevertheless, it remains a tremendous challenge to simultaneously achieve conformally bioadhesive epidermic electronics with remarkable self-adhesiveness, reliable ultraviolet (UV)-protection ability, and admirable sensing performance for high-fidelity epidermal electrophysiological signals monitoring, along with timely photothermal therapeutic performances after medical diagnostic sensing, as well as efficient antibacterial activity and reliable hemostatic effect for potential medical therapy. Herein, a conformally bioadhesive hydrogel-based epidermic sensor, featuring superior self-adhesiveness and excellent UV-protection performance, is developed by dexterously assembling conducting MXene nanosheets network with biological hydrogel polymer network for conformally stably attaching onto human skin for high-quality recording of various epidermal electrophysiological signals with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and low interfacial impedance for intelligent medical diagnosis and smart human-machine interface. Moreover, a smart sign language gesture recognition platform based on collected EMG signals are designed for hassle-free communication with hearing-impaired people with the help of advanced machine learning algorithms. Meanwhile, the bioadhesive MXene hydrogel possesses reliable antibacterial capability, excellent biocompatibility and effective hemostasis properties for promising bacterial-infected wound bleeding. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
TL;DR: High-power gyrotrons require large beam currents, which lead to nonadiabatic effects due to the large Larmor radius and turn pitch of the electron trajectory.
Abstract: Gyrotrons based on relativistic electron flows generated by thermionic magnetron injection guns are promising pulsed sources of millimeter and submillimeter radiation with multi-megawatt output power. Obviously, to increase the output power of such devices, it is necessary to provide a high beam current of more than 100 A. At the selected emission density, this forces the use of an emitter with a sufficiently large area. As is well known, wide emitters produce beams with a large velocity spread, which reduces the efficiency of the electron-wave interaction. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the diameter and, accordingly, increase the distance from the cathode to the gyrotron cavity, which leads to an increase in the magnetization reversal coefficient. Thus, the magnetic field in the region of beam formation becomes weak, and the Larmor radius and the turn pitch of the electron trajectory become large compared to the geometry of the surrounding electrodes, which can cause nonadiabatic effects. In this work, we consider one of these effects, which consists in the emergence of a range of anode voltage values in which the monotonic growth of the pitch factor stops. The results of trajectory analysis using current tube and discrete source methods based on the ANGEL software package are presented, as well as an assessment of the influence of a magnetic lens on the properties of an electron beam based on a simple analytical model.
TL;DR: Direct Laser Writing (DLW) is a microfabrication technique used for efficient, cost-effective, high-resolution material synthesis and conversion. It is widely used in electronics microfabrication, enabling the patterning and assembly of functional geometries.
Abstract: Direct Laser Writing (DLW) has been increasingly selected as a microfabrication route for efficient, cost-effective, high-resolution material synthesis and conversion. Concurrently, lasers participate in the patterning and assembly of functional geometries in several fields of application, of which electronics stand out. In this review, we survey and outline recent advances and strategies based on DLW for electronics microfabrication, based on laser material growth strategies. First, we summarize the main DLW parameters influencing material synthesis and transformation mechanisms, aimed at selective, tailored writing of conductive and semiconducting materials. Additive and transformative DLW processing mechanisms are discussed, to open space to explore several categories of materials directly synthesized or transformed for electronics microfabrication. These include metallic conductors, metal oxides, transition metal chalcogenides and carbides, laser-induced graphene, and their mixtures. By accessing a wide range of material types, DLW-based electronic applications are explored, including processing components, energy harvesting and storage, sensing, and bioelectronics. The expanded capability of lasers to participate in multiple fabrication steps at different implementation levels, from material engineering to device processing, indicates their future applicability to next-generation electronics, where more accessible, green microfabrication approaches integrate lasers as comprehensive tools. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
TL;DR: Researchers developed a 3D-printed flexible electrochromic device using hydrogel inks, enabling streamlined manufacturing of patterned devices with excellent electrochromic and mechanical properties for wearable electronics, camouflage, and smart windows applications.
Abstract: Abstract Flexible electrochromic devices (FECDs) are widely explored for diverse applications including wearable electronics, camouflage, and smart windows. However, the manufacturing process of patterned FECDs remains complex, costly, and non‐customizable. To address this challenge, a strategy is proposed to prepare integrated FECDs via multi‐material direct writing 3D printing. By designing novel viologen/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel inks and systematically evaluating the printability of various inks, seamless interface integration can be achieved, enabling streamlined manufacturing of patterned FECDs with continuous production capabilities. The resultant 3D‐printed FECDs exhibit excellent electrochromic and mechanical properties, including high optical contrast (up to 54% at 360 nm), nice cycling stability (less than 5% electroactivity reduction after 10 000 s), and mechanical stability (less than 19% optimal contrast decrease after 5000 cycles of bending). The potential applications of these 3D‐printed hydrogel‐based FECDs are further demonstrated in wearable electronics, camouflage, and smart windows.
TL;DR: A novel multilayered composite film (PEG@PAN/MXene/PVDF@SiO2) is developed via coaxial electrospinning and coating spraying, exhibiting excellent thermal management, electromagnetic interference shielding, and hydrophobic properties for electronic devices in X-band frequencies.
Abstract: Abstract With the rapid development of electronic industry, it's pressing to develop multifunctional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials to ensure the stable operation of electronic devices. Herein, multilayered flexible PEG@PAN/MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x )/PVDF@SiO 2 (PMF) composite film has been constructed from the level of microstructure design via coaxial electrospinning, coating spraying, and uniaxial electrospinning strategies. Benefiting from the effective encapsulation for PEG and high conductivity of MXene coating, PEG@PAN/MXene composite film with MXene coating loading density of 0.70 mg cm −2 exhibits high thermal energy storage density of 120.77 J g −1 and great EMI shielding performance (EMI SE of 34.409 dB and SSE of 49.086 dB cm 3 g −1 ) in X‐band (8–12 GHz). Therefore, this advanced composite film can not only help electronic devices prevent the influence of electromagnetic pollution in the X‐band but also play an important role in electronic device thermal management. Additionally, the deposition of nano PVDF@SiO 2 fibers (289 ± 128 nm) endowed the PMF composite film with great hydrophobic properties (water contact angle of 126.5°) to ensure the stable working of hydrophilic MXene coating, thereby breaks the limitation of humid application environments. The finding paves a new way for the development of novel multifunctional EMI shielding composite films for electronic devices.
TL;DR: Recent advances in flexible sensors for human health monitoring are reviewed, covering pressure, humidity, temperature, and multi-functional sensors, with a focus on their application in wearable devices and health monitoring, and their potential challenges and opportunities.
Abstract: Abstract The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, micro‐nano manufacturing, and flexible electronics technology have unleashed unprecedented innovation and opportunities for applying flexible sensors in healthcare, wearable devices, and human–computer interaction. The human body's tactile perception involves physical parameters such as pressure, temperature, and humidity, all of which play an essential role in maintaining human health. Inspired by the sensory function of human skin, many bionic sensors have been developed to simulate human skin's perception to various stimuli and are widely applied in health monitoring. Given the urgent requirements for sensing performance and integration of flexible sensors in the field of wearable devices and health monitoring, here is a timely overview of recent advances in pressure, humidity, temperature, and multi‐functional sensors for human health monitoring. It covers the fundamental components of flexible sensors and categorizes them based on different response mechanisms, including resistive, capacitive, voltage, and other types. Specifically, the application of these flexible tactile sensors in the area of human health monitoring is highlighted. Based on this, an extended overview of recent advances in dual/triple‐mode flexible sensors integrating pressure, humidity, and temperature tactile sensing is presented. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of flexible sensors are discussed.
TL;DR: Researchers developed a cost-effective, flexible thermoelectric film using solvothermal, screen-printing, and sintering techniques, addressing scalability and commercialization limitations for wearable electronics and high-end cooling applications with improved performance.
Abstract: Limited flexibility, complex manufacturing processes, high costs, and insufficient performance are major factors restricting the scalability and commercialization of flexible inorganic thermoelectrics for wearable electronics and other high-end cooling applications. We developed an innovative, cost-effective technology that integrates solvothermal, screen-printing, and sintering techniques to produce an inorganic flexible thermoelectric film. Our printable film, comprising Bi
TL;DR: Researchers develop bioinspired iontronic synapse fibers for ultralow-power neuromorphic textiles, enabling efficient information processing, parallel transmission, and motor control with femtojoule-range energy consumption and inherent short-term synaptic plasticity.
Abstract: Artificial neuromorphic devices can emulate dendric integration, axonal parallel transmission, along with superior energy efficiency in facilitating efficient information processing, offering enormous potential for wearable electronics. However, integrating such circuits into textiles to achieve biomimetic information perception, processing, and control motion feedback remains a formidable challenge. Here, we engineer a quasi-solid-state iontronic synapse fiber (ISF) comprising photoresponsive TiO 2 , ion storage Co-MoS 2 , and an ion transport layer. The resulting ISF achieves inherent short-term synaptic plasticity, femtojoule-range energy consumption, and the ability to transduce chemical/optical signals. Multiple ISFs are interwoven into a synthetic neural fabric, allowing the simultaneous propagation of distinct optical signals for transmitting parallel information. Importantly, IFSs with multiple input electrodes exhibit spatiotemporal information integration. As a proof of concept, a textile-based multiplexing neuromorphic sensorimotor system is constructed to connect synaptic fibers with artificial fiber muscles, enabling preneuronal sensing information integration, parallel transmission, and postneuronal information output to control the coordinated motor of fiber muscles. The proposed fiber system holds enormous promise in wearable electronics, soft robotics, and biomedical engineering.
TL;DR: This review explores the development and application of flexible graphene field-effect transistors (FGFETs) in biomedical sensing, highlighting their potential for wearable and implantable sensors, and discussing current challenges and future prospects in this field.
Abstract: Abstract Flexible electronics are transforming our lives by making daily activities more convenient. Central to this innovation are field-effect transistors (FETs), valued for their efficient signal processing, nanoscale fabrication, low-power consumption, fast response times, and versatility. Graphene, known for its exceptional mechanical properties, high electron mobility, and biocompatibility, is an ideal material for FET channels and sensors. The combination of graphene and FETs has given rise to flexible graphene field-effect transistors (FGFETs), driving significant advances in flexible electronics and sparked a strong interest in flexible biomedical sensors. Here, we first provide a brief overview of the basic structure, operating mechanism, and evaluation parameters of FGFETs, and delve into their material selection and patterning techniques. The ability of FGFETs to sense strains and biomolecular charges opens up diverse application possibilities. We specifically analyze the latest strategies for integrating FGFETs into wearable and implantable flexible biomedical sensors, focusing on the key aspects of constructing high-quality flexible biomedical sensors. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and prospects of FGFETs and their applications in biomedical sensors. This review will provide valuable insights and inspiration for ongoing research to improve the quality of FGFETs and broaden their application prospects in flexible biomedical sensing.
TL;DR: Recent advancements in wearable technology enable monitoring of internal organs through surface-based sensors, categorizing organs into external and internal systems, and exploring innovations for deep internal organs, addressing current challenges and future directions in medical diagnostics.
Abstract: Devices used for diagnosing disease are often large, expensive, and require operation by trained professionals, which can result in delayed diagnosis and missed opportunities for timely treatment. However, wearable devices are being recognized as a new approach to overcoming these difficulties, as they are small, affordable, and easy to use. Recent advancements in wearable technology have made monitoring information possible from the surface of organs like the skin and eyes, enabling accurate diagnosis of the user's internal status. In this review, we categorize the body's organs into external (e.g., eyes, oral cavity, neck, and skin) and internal (e.g., heart, brain, lung, stomach, and bladder) organ systems and introduce recent developments in the materials and designs of wearable electronics, including electrochemical and electrophysiological sensors applied to each organ system. Further, we explore recent innovations in wearable electronics for monitoring of deep internal organs, such as the heart, brain, and nervous system, using ultrasound, electrical impedance tomography, and temporal interference stimulation. The review also addresses the current challenges in wearable technology and explores future directions to enhance the effectiveness and applicability of these devices in medical diagnostics. This paper establishes a framework for correlating the design and functionality of wearable electronics with the physiological characteristics and requirements of various organ systems.
TL;DR: High-performance magnesium-based plastic semiconductors enable flexible thermoelectrics with superior plasticity and high performance at room temperature.
Abstract: Low-cost thermoelectric materials with simultaneous high performance and superior plasticity at room temperature are urgently demanded due to the lack of ever-lasting power supply for flexible electronics. However, the inherent brittleness in conventional thermoelectric semiconductors and the inferior thermoelectric performance in plastic organics/inorganics severely limit such applications. Here, we report low-cost inorganic polycrystalline Mg
TL;DR: The Def‐ZIF‐8/PPY/BC-based flexible sensor exhibits high sensitivity, rapid response and recovery times, exceptional cyclic stability, and antibacterial properties.
Abstract: Abstract Intelligent wearable sensors play a crucial role in the detection of toxic gases and monitoring physiological signals, thereby effectively ensuring environmental and personal health safety. Nonetheless, achieving the requirements for antibacterial properties, comfortable wear, and multifunctional detection remains a major challenge. In this study, a novel Def‐ZIF‐8/PPY/BC‐based flexible sensor is developed by in situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks‐8 (ZIF‐8) and polypyrrole (PPY) on bacterial cellulose (BC), followed by water immersion. The Def‐ZIF‐8/PPY/BC‐based flexible sensor demonstrates effective dual‐sensitivity responses to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) toxic gas and stress‐strain behaviors at room temperature. The structural characterization and theoretical calculations affirm that the innovative water treatment method successfully introduces defects into ZIF‐8, resulting in a significant 2.57‐fold improvement in response intensity to 80 ppm NO 2 . Stress‐strain sensing performance analysis reveals that the Def‐ZIF‐8/PPY/BC‐based flexible sensor exhibited high sensitivity (6.44 kPa −1 ), rapid response and recovery times (0.7/0.4 s), and exceptional cyclic stability (8000 cycles). Further, the inhibitory effect of ZIF‐8 on common bacterial strains contributes to the exceptional antibacterial properties (antibacterial rate exceeding 99%) of the Def‐ZIF‐8/PPY/BC based on the flexible sensor. This study offers a significant advancement in metal‐organic framework defect engineering and provides an effective strategy for developing multifunctional wearable sensors.
TL;DR: This review examines PEDOTs-based conductive hydrogels, highlighting design strategies, fabrication techniques, and diverse applications in bioelectronics, soft actuators, energy devices, and solar evaporators, aiming to guide future research and stimulate innovation in functional P-CHs.
Abstract: Abstract Conductive hydrogels combine the benefits of soft hydrogels with electrical conductivity and have gained significant attention over the past decade. These innovative materials, including poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOTs)‐based conductive hydrogels (P‐CHs), are promising for flexible electronics and biological applications due to their tunable flexibility, biocompatibility, and hydrophilicity. Despite the recent advances, the intrinsic correlation between the design, fabrications, and applications of P‐CHs has been mostly based on trial‐and‐error‐based Edisonian approaches, significantly limiting their further development. This review comprehensively examines the design strategies, fabrication technologies, and diverse applications of P‐CHs. By summarizing design strategies, such as molecular, network, phase, and structural engineering, and exploring both 2D and 3D fabrication techniques, this review offers a comprehensive overview of P‐CHs applications in diverse fields including bioelectronics, soft actuators, energy devices, and solar evaporators. Establishing this critical internal connection between design, fabrication, and application aims to guide future research and stimulate innovation in the field of functional P‐CHs, offering broad benefits to multidisciplinary researchers.
TL;DR: Advancements in polymer nanofiber-based piezoelectric nanogenerators focus on enhancing performance and exploring biomedical applications. The primary challenges lie in power management systems and maximizing power transfer.
Abstract: In light of the increasing presence of the Internet of Things (IoT) in all aspects of modern society, particularly in personal healthcare monitoring, there has been a proliferation of sensors and electronic devices that require a significant amount of power to operate continuously. As a result, there has been a growing interest in organic polymer composite nanofibers based piezoelectric nanogenerators and sensors as a response to environmental concerns and the limited lifespan of batteries. However, the main challenge lies in delivering power to the load electronics from the nanogenerator due to impedance mismatch. The solution to this issue is to implement a suitable power management system between the nanogenerator and the load. The primary objectives of this review are to summarize the current progress in polymer-based electrospun composite nanofibers to enhance performance and understand the underlying mechanisms in the field of electronic skin, human–machine interaction, healthcare, and human movement monitoring as self-powered wearable sensors. Additionally, the review presents the origins of piezoelectricity and the implementation of piezoelectric biodegradable biopolymers for biomedical applications. Finally, this review aims to introduce and highlight the challenges of power management systems in piezoelectric nanogenerators to maximize power transfer from nanogenerators/wearable sensors to the load electronics.
TL;DR: This review presents recent progress on electrically tunable metasurfaces, highlighting their potential to bridge electronics and photonics, with applications in spatial light modulators, tunable optical waveguides, and adaptable emissivity regulators, and discusses major tuning strategies and implementation challenges.
Abstract: Metasurfaces, which offer a diverse range of functionalities in a remarkably compact size, have captured the interest of both scientific and industrial sectors. However, their inherent static nature limits their adaptability for their further applications. Reconfigurable metasurfaces have emerged as a solution to this challenge, expanding the potential for diverse applications. Among the series of tunable devices, electrically controllable devices have garnered particular attention owing to their seamless integration with existing electronic equipment. This review presents recent progress reported with respect to electrically tunable devices, providing an overview of their technological development trajectory and current state of the art. In particular, we analyze the major tuning strategies and discuss the applications in spatial light modulators, tunable optical waveguides, and adaptable emissivity regulators. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities associated with their implementation are explored, thereby highlighting their potential to bridge the gap between electronics and photonics to enable the development of groundbreaking optical systems.
TL;DR: A mussel-adhesive conductive hydrogel with high mechanical strength, self-adhesiveness, self-recovery and fatigue-resistance performances as flexible sensing electronics.
Abstract: Conductive hydrogels are ideal candidates for wearable strain sensors due to their intrinsic stretchability and conductivity. However, it's still a challenge to fabricate a conductive hydrogel with a combination performance of high mechanical strength, self-adhesion, sensitivity, self-recovery capability, fatigue-resistant ability and biocompatibility. Herein, a dual-network hydrogel (TG/P-LP) composed of 2,2,6,6-tetra-methylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs) supported graphene (GN), Laponite-oxidized polydopamine (LP) and polyacrylic acid-co-poly acrylamide (P) hydrogel matrix was synthesized via a facile in-situ radical polymerization process. The optimized biocompatible TG/P-LP hydrogel exhibits a high mechanical strength, self-adhesive performance, intrinsic self-recovery capability (95.7 % in 60 min) and anti-fatigue property. The hydrogel-based strain sensor exhibits a wide strain range (0 ∼ 600 %) and a high sensitivity (GF = 12). This work designs a novel hydrogel-based sensor with excellent mechanical properties, long-term fatigue resistance, high strain sensitivity and wearability, demonstrating enormous potential in the applications of human motion detection and human–machine interaction.
TL;DR: Flexible electrochemical energy storage devices are urgently needed for wearable electronics due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness.
Abstract: Given the escalating demand for wearable electronics, there is an urgent need to explore cost-effective and environmentally friendly flexible energy storage devices with exceptional electrochemical properties. However, existing types of...
TL;DR: Flexible electronics offer non-invasive, continuous monitoring of biophysical/biochemical signals in dental, oral, and craniofacial applications, improving patient compliance and reducing healthcare costs.
Abstract: Abstract Dental, oral, and craniofacial diseases jeopardize health and reduce the quality of life. Accessing disease-related signals in advance is beneficial to prevent the occurrence or progression of those diseases. However, the inconvenience of periodical in-hospital examinations and the difficulty of sustaining daily health monitoring challenge personal compliance and possibly lead to limited prevention or treatment. Medical flexible electronics are electric devices fabricated on soft and extensible substrates to fit the human skin and enable non-invasive continuous monitoring of biophysical/biochemical signals. They provide the possibility of long-term, continuous, comfortable, and wireless healthcare monitoring and are expected to alleviate time and economic consumption by avoiding in-hospital examinations and treatment. Therefore, flexible electronics have emerged for early diagnosis and disease monitoring in stomatology. It is noteworthy that special biophysical/biochemical characteristics and the environment of dental, oral, and craniofacial areas bring distinct challenges that flexible electronics need to address ingeniously to ensure their stability, selectivity, and sensitivity. This review summaries flexible electronics and their specificity when used in dental, oral, and craniofacial applications, including monitoring saliva or cavity-gas related biosignals, sensing the mechanical fluctuation from facial muscle/respiratory activities or orthodontic forces, and executing special functions in the prevention or postoperative recovery of relevant diseases. Furthermore, after analyzing current challenges and proposing potential solutions, the “5I” principles of imperceptibility, intelligence, individualization, integration, and inexpensiveness are presented to help guide the future development of flexible electronics and promote their commercialization for dental, oral, and craniofacial medicine.
TL;DR: Researchers develop a stretchable, biodegradable, self-healing conductor combining synthetic elastomer and conductive composite, enabling rapid recovery of electrical conductivity and stretchability, with potential applications in biomedical research and soft electronics.
Abstract: As the regenerative mechanisms of biological organisms, self-healing provides useful functions for soft electronics or associated systems. However, there have been few examples of soft electronics where all components have self-healing properties while also ensuring compatibility between components to achieve multifunctional and resilient bio-integrated electronics. Here, we introduce a stretchable, biodegradable, self-healing conductor constructed by combination of two layers: (i) synthetic self-healing elastomer and (ii) self-healing conductive composite with additives. Abundant dynamic disulfide and hydrogen bonds of the elastomer and conductive composite enable rapid and complete recovery of electrical conductivity (~1000 siemens per centimeter) and stretchability (~500%) in response to repetitive damages, and chemical interactions of interpenetrated polymer chains of these components facilitate robust adhesion strength, even under extreme mechanical stress. System-level demonstration of soft, self-healing electronics with diagnostic/therapeutic functions for the urinary bladder validates the possibility for versatile, practical uses in biomedical research areas.
TL;DR: MXene-based conductive inks are suitable for printed electronics applications due to their high electrical conductivity and hydrophilic properties.
Abstract: Printed flexible electronics, developed through additive manufacturing techniques, aim to be a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and durable alternative to contemporary electronics. Conductive inks play a crucial role in printed electronic applications. Despite the availability of various conductive inks, there are persistent challenges, such as the use of toxic chemicals, low productivity, and complex production procedures, limiting their broader application due to the reduced financial viability of the resulting conductive inks. This comprehensive review provides essential information and requirements for the formulation of conductive inks in the context of printed flexible electronics. This review offers a summary of previous studies on etching-driven MXenes and their conductive ink formulations, highlighting the use of various solvents, including water, for environmentally friendly practices. Various applications of printed electronics are discussed. Additionally, this review addresses current challenges in the formulation of MXene-based conductive inks and provides recommendations for future research. MXenes are widely used in the development of various printed electronic devices. As a result, it can be concluded that MXene-based conductive inks are appropriate candidates for printed electronics applications due to their hydrophilic properties and high electrical conductivity.
TL;DR: Recent advances in flexible piezoelectric materials are reviewed, highlighting their potential for strain sensors in wearable electronics and AI applications, with a focus on microstructure engineering and fabrication techniques for improved performance.
Abstract: This review covers the recent advances in flexible piezoelectric materials, which show great potential for strain sensors in wearable electronics and artificial intelligence, focusing on microstructure engineering and fabrication techniques.
Abstract: Gels show great promise for applications in wearable electronics, biomedical devices, and energy storage systems due to their exceptional stretchability and adjustable electrical conductivity. However, the challenge lies in integrating multiple functions like elasticity, instantaneous self-healing, and a wide operating temperature range into a single gel. To address this issue, a hybrid hydrogen bonding strategy to construct gel with these desirable properties is proposed. The intricate network of hybrid strong weak hydrogen bonds within the polymer matrix enables these ionohydrogel to exhibit remarkable instantaneous self-healing, stretching up to five times their original length within seconds. Leveraging these properties, the incorporation of ionic liquids, water, and zinc salts into hybrid hydrogen bond crosslinked network enables conductivity and redox reaction, making it a versatile ionic skin for real-time monitoring of human movements and respiratory. Moreover, the ionohydrogel can be used as electrolyte in the assembly of a zinc-ion battery, ensuring a reliable power supply for wearable electronics, even in extreme conditions (-20 °C and extreme deformations). This ionohydrogel electrolyte simplifies the diverse structural requirements of gels to meet the needs of various electronic applications, offering a new approach for multi-functional electronics.
TL;DR: Researchers developed a method to translate complex circuitry into soft, stretchable electronics, enabling the creation of stretchable single-board microcontrollers, including Arduinos, and embedded them into soft robots with high strain capabilities.
Abstract: To achieve real-world functionality, robots must have the ability to carry out decision-making computations. However, soft robots stretch and therefore need a solution other than rigid computers. Examples of embedding computing capacity into soft robots currently include appending rigid printed circuit boards to the robot, integrating soft logic gates, and exploiting material responses for material-embedded computation. Although promising, these approaches introduce limitations such as rigidity, tethers, or low logic gate density. The field of stretchable electronics has sought to solve these challenges, but a complete pipeline for direct integration of single-board computers, microcontrollers, and other complex circuitry into soft robots has remained elusive. We present a generalized method to translate any complex two-layer circuit into a soft, stretchable form. This enabled the creation of stretchable single-board microcontrollers (including Arduinos) and other commercial circuits (including SparkFun circuits), without design simplifications. As demonstrations of the method’s utility, we embedded highly stretchable (>300% strain) Arduino Pro Minis into the bodies of multiple soft robots. This makes use of otherwise inert structural material, fulfilling the promise of the stretchable electronic field to integrate state-of-the-art computational power into robust, stretchable systems during active use.
TL;DR: Researchers introduce a hybrid skin-interfaced patch combining shape memory polymers for motion adaptability, ultra-strong adhesion, and on-demand detachment, enabling seamless integration of bulky electronics for secure, dynamic, and wireless physiological signal detection and transmission.
Abstract: Abstract Skin‐interfaced electronics have emerged as a promising frontier in personalized healthcare. However, existing skin‐interfaced patches often struggle to simultaneously achieve robust skin adhesion, adaptability to dynamic body motions, seamless integration of bulky devices, and on‐demand, damage‐free detachment. Here, a hybrid strategy that synergistically combines these critical features within a thin, flexible patch platform is introduced. This design leverages shape memory polymers (SMPs) arranged in a tessellated array, comprising both rigid and compliant SMPs. This configuration enables exceptional deformability, motion adaptability, and ultra‐strong, repeatable skin adhesion while offering on‐demand adhesion control. Furthermore, the design facilitates the seamless integration of bulky electronics without compromising skin adhesion. By incorporating sizeable electronics including signal acquisition circuits, sensors, and a battery, it is demonstrated that the proposed tessellated patch can be securely mounted on the skin, accommodate dynamic body motions, precisely detect physiological signals with an outstanding signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), wirelessly transmit data, and be effortlessly released from the skin.
TL;DR: Electrochemical deposition is a versatile technique for cultivating nano- and microstructured electroactive materials for supercapacitors. It offers a wide range of advantages, including large surface area, low layer thickness, and tunable composition. Various inorganic nanosheets synthesized through electrodeposition exhibit excellent electrochemical performance.
Abstract: Abstract The globe is currently dealing with serious issues related to the world economy and population expansion, which has led to a significant increase in the need for energy. One of the most promising energy devices for the next generation of energy technology is the supercapacitor (SC). Among the numerous nanostructured materials examined for SC electrodes, inorganic nanosheets are considered to be the most favorable electrode materials because of their excellent electrochemical performance due to their large surface area, very low layer thickness, and tunable diverse composition. Various inorganic nanosheets (NS) such as metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, metal hydroxides, and MXenes show substantial electrochemical activity. Herein, a comprehensive survey of inorganic NS arrays synthesized through the electrodeposition method is reported with the discussion on detailed growth mechanism and their application in the fabrication of SC electrodes/devices for powering flexible and wearable electronics appliances. To begin with, the first section will feature the various types of electrodeposition working mechanism, SC types and their working mechanisms, importance of nanosheet structure for SCs. This review gives a profound interpretation of supercapacitor electrode materials and their performances in different domains. Finally, a perspective on NS array through electrodeposition method applications in diverse fields is extensively examined.
TL;DR: Micro Electro-Discharge Machining (µ-EDM) is a precise machining process for producing small-scale components with high accuracy. It is widely used in various industries and offers high surface finish and complex geometries. The process involves electrical discharge between a tool electrode and the workpiece, and its success depends on specific parameters such as energy, voltage, current, and spark gap. The article explores various applications of µ-EDM in biomaterials, including dry µ-EDM, 3D micro shape machining, thin film coating, and biocompatibility.
Abstract: Micro Electro-Discharge Machining is a precision machining process that uses electrical discharge to produce small-scale components with high accuracy. A metal workpiece is machined in this process by repeatedly generating spark between a tool electrode and the workpiece, removing material in a controlled manner. The significance of µ-EDM lies in its ability to produce highly accurate and complex components with a high surface finish, making it ideal for use in various industries, including aerospace, medical, and electronics. The critical parameters to the success of µ-EDM include the electrical discharge energy, voltage, current, pulse duration, and spark gap between the tool electrode and workpiece, including the shape and size of the tool electrode. This review article discusses the µ-EDM process used to machine biological materials and also examines the µ-EDM, dry µ-EDM procedure, and the features of biomedical materials for biocompatibility, 3D micro shape machining with tool wear composition, and thin film coating for microelectrodes. The impact of introducing nanoparticles to dielectric fluids is further clarified in this article. This study addresses the prospective future research subjects and application areas for the µ-EDM process in order to fulfill the demanding criteria for biomaterials and their usage in the production of bioimplants.