University of Pittsburgh researchers have invented a new method of creating patterns on a variety of nanocarbon materials. Using a laser-induced carbonization process it is now possible to locally carbonize the surface of polymer films. This approach could revolutionize the fabrication of functional graphenic nanocarbons and flexible device manufacturing.
Morphology diagram for LINC Relationship between laser beam defocus and laser power can be harnessed to pattern nanocarbons.
Description
Laser carbonization is an emerging technique in patterning conductive carbon electrodes used in flexible devices. By adjusting laser power and beam defocusing, precise tuning of laser-induced nanocarbon (LINC) patterns enables the creation of diverse nanoelectronics with unique electrical conductivity.
Applications
• Flexible device manufacturing
• Nanoelectronics
• Wearable technology and medical devices
Advantages
Current approaches to fabrication of conductive carbon electrodes involves printing conducting electrodes of carbon nanotubes or graphene using nanocarbon-containing inks. This process requires the creation of new inks for each type of nanocarbon to be printed adding cost and time to production.
This new method uses continuous wave (CW) CO2 lasers with varying conditions (power, speed, pulse rate, fluence) to produce various nanocarbon morphologies on a polyimide surface. Each of these morphologies will have varying electrical properties. Superior to the traditionally used printing approach, this method will allow for production of different nanocarbons on the same surface using laser only.
Invention Readiness
Using two distinct approaches laser fluence gradients and beam defocus were altered to understand the LINC formation process. This variation in laser parameters yielded different surface morphologies each with different electrical conductivity.
These results have demonstrated it is possible, through alterations of laser power and beam defocus, to create LINC materials with nanoporous structures, branch networks, and nanofibers. Using different combinations of each of these morphologies LINC materials can be designed with tunable and spatially varying electrical properties. This novel method could lead to the fabrication of a wide variety of different types of flexible electronic devices.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240083753A1Related Publication(s)
Abdulhafez, M., Tomaraei, G. N., & Bedewy, M. (2021). Fluence-Dependent Morphological Transitions in Laser-Induced Graphene Electrodes on Polyimide Substrates for Flexible Devices. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 4(3), 2973–2986. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.1c00101
