Nanocellulose-based reusable liquid metal printed electronics fabricated by evaporation-induced transfer printing

Yiru Mao¹，Yixiang Wu¹，Pengju Zhang^2,3，Zhizhu He¹，Qian Wang^2,3

1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Optimized Design for Modern Agricultural Equipment, Department of Vehicle Engineering, College of Engineering, China Agricultural University2. Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry3. Beijing Key Lab of Cryo Biomedical Engineering and Key Lab of Cryogenics

摘 要：Reusable electronics have received widespread attention and are urgently needed. Here, nanocellulosebased liquid metal（NC-LM） printed circuit has been fabricated by the evaporation-induced transfer printing technology. In this way, the liquid metal pattern is embedded into the nanocellulose membrane, which is beneficial for the stability of the circuit during use. Besides, the NC-LM circuit is ultrathin with just tens of microns. In particular, the finished product is environmentally friendly because it can be completely dissolved by water, and both the liquid metal ink and the nanocellulose membrane can be easily recollected and reused, thereby reducing waste and pollution to the environment. Several examples of flexible circuits have been designed to evaluate their performance. The mechanism of evaporation-induced transfer printing technology involves the deposition, aggregation, and coverage tightly of the nanosized cellulose fibrils as the water evaporated. This study provides an economical and environmentally friendly way for the fabrication of renewable flexible electronics.

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