Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of Western Ontario
$141,160.00
A Platform for in-situ Characterization of Flexible/Wearable Electronics and Devices under Stretching, Bending or Twisting
EF 2014-15
Résumé
People dream about the possibility for electronics/devices that can be folded or deformed into arbitrary shapes. Recent nanotechnology advances in materials, processes and mechanics have made this dream become reality. For example, researchers have developed applications or prototype demonstrations of electronic paper, curved screens, foldable or rollable displays, flexible solar cells, tunable lens, artificial muscles, skin sensors and wearable biomedical devices for health monitoring. Now this development has become an important direction for the future electronics/devices/machines. While we celebrate these innovative demonstrations, tremendous limitations are being realized that require quantitative and accurate characterization of the devices and materials, particularly the structure-property-function relationships of these materials and devices under different modes of mechanical deformations or their combinations. The objective of this project is to develop a platform for in-situ characterization of stretchable/flexible electronics, materials and machines when they experience large mechanical deformation(s), similar to their states in operating conditions. Funds are requested from NSERC-RTI program to build such a platform including an advanced flexible electronics characterization system, a tilt & rotate sub-stage and a tensile stage. This platform will enable fast, 3D-view imaging and characterization of the devices/materials while they are being stretched, bent or twisted. With this platform, structure-property-function relationships of these devices or materials will be characterized quantitatively, which will significantly improve our fundamental understanding of soft matter and help us design and fabricate high-quality stretchable/flexible electronics, materials and machines. This equipment will allow us to gain deep insight of flexible/stretchable electronics under real-time deformation. It will provide great support to our ongoing and future projects. It will also provide tremendous training opportunities to Canada's next generation mechanical engineers.
Programme
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Ontario, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
473076-2015
Name nom
Yang, Jun
Department département
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Organization id
36
Institution établissement
University of Western Ontario
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2014
Competition year année de concours
2015
Award amount
141160
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1512
Committee name en
Mechanical Engineering
Committee name fr
Génie mécanique
Area of application code
500
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Research subject code
2109
Research subject group en
Mechanical engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie mécanique
Research subject en
Mechanical systems and instrumentation
Research subject fr
Instrumentation et systèmes mécaniques
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
A Platform for in-situ Characterization of Flexible/Wearable Electronics and Devices under Stretching, Bending or Twisting
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
People dream about the possibility for electronics/devices that can be folded or deformed into arbitrary shapes. Recent nanotechnology advances in materials, processes and mechanics have made this dream become reality. For example, researchers have developed applications or prototype demonstrations of electronic paper, curved screens, foldable or rollable displays, flexible solar cells, tunable lens, artificial muscles, skin sensors and wearable biomedical devices for health monitoring. Now this development has become an important direction for the future electronics/devices/machines. While we celebrate these innovative demonstrations, tremendous limitations are being realized that require quantitative and accurate characterization of the devices and materials, particularly the structure-property-function relationships of these materials and devices under different modes of mechanical deformations or their combinations. The objective of this project is to develop a platform for in-situ characterization of stretchable/flexible electronics, materials and machines when they experience large mechanical deformation(s), similar to their states in operating conditions. Funds are requested from NSERC-RTI program to build such a platform including an advanced flexible electronics characterization system, a tilt & rotate sub-stage and a tensile stage. This platform will enable fast, 3D-view imaging and characterization of the devices/materials while they are being stretched, bent or twisted. With this platform, structure-property-function relationships of these devices or materials will be characterized quantitatively, which will significantly improve our fundamental understanding of soft matter and help us design and fabricate high-quality stretchable/flexible electronics, materials and machines. This equipment will allow us to gain deep insight of flexible/stretchable electronics under real-time deformation. It will provide great support to our ongoing and future projects. It will also provide tremendous training opportunities to Canada's next generation mechanical engineers.
