Microtransfer printing of elastomeric active composites

Soft active polymeric composites are of great interest in many fields, including soft robotics, flexible electronics, and wearable technologies. This kind of 3D heterogeneous integration of different materials to form a functional membrane is achieved through a novel fabrication process that includes both photolithography and micro-transfer printing. Thus, an active elastomeric composite with a 4x4 array of individual, active stamps with a Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) actuator was developed to enable high throughput micro-transfer printing. This was achieved by introducing a multiplexed interconnection scheme as well as increasing robustness of the involved fabrication steps, enabling a locally active, high resolution stamp architecture with small footprint. The performance of the active elastomeric dense array stamp was validated with selective pickup and place micro-transfer printing experiments with closed-loop feedback control. However, such a flexible, active composite membrane’s uses can also be extended to other avenues like flexible sensor technologies. Towards this end, the PZT embedded elastomer was evaluated as a vibrational energy harvester. A miniaturized, broadband energy harvester working at low frequency is of great interest as a means of powering the growing field of small, wireless electronics. In this application, the PZT in the active elastomeric composite acts as a sensor. The work explores novel design schemes to increase the electrical output from the harvester by manipulating the buckling characteristics of both elastomer and PZT, which in turn increases the strain energy density of the PZT. Together, these studies highlight the functionality of PZT as both an actuator and a sensor; being the active element in the considered active elastomeric composite. Thus, the objective of this work is to explore the use of micro-transfer printing process to design and fabricate an elastomeric active composite with PZT and evaluate its performance as a transducer.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Ismail, Nishana

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ferreira, Placid
• Kapoor, Shiv
• Kim, Seok
• Gong, Songbin

• Micro-transfer printing
• PZT actuator
• active soft composite
• piezoelectric energy harvester

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Nishana Ismail

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108710

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/108710