Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics

Abstract The next generation of soft electronics will expand to the third dimension. This will require the integration of mechanically compliant 3D functional structures with stretchable materials. Here, omnidirectional direct ink writing (DIW) of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfon...

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Main Authors: Hasan Emre Baysal, Tzu‐Yi Yu, Viktor Naenen, Stijn De Smedt, Defne Hiz, Bokai Zhang, Heyi Xia, Isidro Florenciano, Martin Rosenthal, Ruth Cardinaels, Francisco Molina‐Lopez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Advanced Science
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412491
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author Hasan Emre Baysal
Tzu‐Yi Yu
Viktor Naenen
Stijn De Smedt
Defne Hiz
Bokai Zhang
Heyi Xia
Isidro Florenciano
Martin Rosenthal
Ruth Cardinaels
Francisco Molina‐Lopez
author_facet Hasan Emre Baysal
Tzu‐Yi Yu
Viktor Naenen
Stijn De Smedt
Defne Hiz
Bokai Zhang
Heyi Xia
Isidro Florenciano
Martin Rosenthal
Ruth Cardinaels
Francisco Molina‐Lopez
author_sort Hasan Emre Baysal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The next generation of soft electronics will expand to the third dimension. This will require the integration of mechanically compliant 3D functional structures with stretchable materials. Here, omnidirectional direct ink writing (DIW) of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) aerogels with tunable electrical and mechanical performance is demonstrated, which can be integrated with soft substrates. Several PEDOT:PSS hydrogels are formulated for DIW and freeze‐dried directly on stretchable substrates to form integrated aerogels displaying high shape fidelity and minimal shrinkage. This technology demonstrates 3D‐structured stretchable interconnects, planar thermoelectric generators for skin electronics, and vertically printed high aspect ratio thermoelectric pillars with ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.065 W m−1 K−1. The aerogel pillars outpower their dense counterparts in realistic energy harvesting scenarios, where contact resistances cannot be ignored and produced up to 26 nW cm−2 (corresponding to a gravimetric power density of 0.76 mW kg−1) for a difference of temperature of 15 K. Here, promising advancements in soft and energy‐efficiency electronic systems relevant to soft robotics and wearables are suggested.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2198-3844
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spelling doaj-art-3318a13f0f8048679bb0aeca782dcb532025-08-20T02:24:47ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-03-011211n/an/a10.1002/advs.202412491Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and ThermoelectricsHasan Emre Baysal0Tzu‐Yi Yu1Viktor Naenen2Stijn De Smedt3Defne Hiz4Bokai Zhang5Heyi Xia6Isidro Florenciano7Martin Rosenthal8Ruth Cardinaels9Francisco Molina‐Lopez10Department of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology (SMaRT) KU Leuven Celestijnenlaan 200J Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Chemistry KU Leuven Celestijnenlaan 200f Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Soft Matter, Rheology and Technology (SMaRT) KU Leuven Celestijnenlaan 200J Leuven 3001 BelgiumDepartment of Materials Engineering KU Leuven Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 Leuven 3001 BelgiumAbstract The next generation of soft electronics will expand to the third dimension. This will require the integration of mechanically compliant 3D functional structures with stretchable materials. Here, omnidirectional direct ink writing (DIW) of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) aerogels with tunable electrical and mechanical performance is demonstrated, which can be integrated with soft substrates. Several PEDOT:PSS hydrogels are formulated for DIW and freeze‐dried directly on stretchable substrates to form integrated aerogels displaying high shape fidelity and minimal shrinkage. This technology demonstrates 3D‐structured stretchable interconnects, planar thermoelectric generators for skin electronics, and vertically printed high aspect ratio thermoelectric pillars with ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.065 W m−1 K−1. The aerogel pillars outpower their dense counterparts in realistic energy harvesting scenarios, where contact resistances cannot be ignored and produced up to 26 nW cm−2 (corresponding to a gravimetric power density of 0.76 mW kg−1) for a difference of temperature of 15 K. Here, promising advancements in soft and energy‐efficiency electronic systems relevant to soft robotics and wearables are suggested.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412491organic thermoelectricsPEDOT:PSSprinted electronicsstretchable electronicsthermoelectric aerogels
spellingShingle Hasan Emre Baysal
Tzu‐Yi Yu
Viktor Naenen
Stijn De Smedt
Defne Hiz
Bokai Zhang
Heyi Xia
Isidro Florenciano
Martin Rosenthal
Ruth Cardinaels
Francisco Molina‐Lopez
Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
Advanced Science
organic thermoelectrics
PEDOT:PSS
printed electronics
stretchable electronics
thermoelectric aerogels
title Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
title_full Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
title_fullStr Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
title_full_unstemmed Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
title_short Omnidirectional 3D Printing of PEDOT: PSS Aerogels with Tunable Electromechanical Performance: A Playground for Unconventional Stretchable Interconnects and Thermoelectrics
title_sort omnidirectional 3d printing of pedot pss aerogels with tunable electromechanical performance a playground for unconventional stretchable interconnects and thermoelectrics
topic organic thermoelectrics
PEDOT:PSS
printed electronics
stretchable electronics
thermoelectric aerogels
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412491
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