Wearable devices and robotics can now say goodbye to brittle and inflexible electrical conductors, as scientists from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have developed flexible, self-healing conductors.

Zhaomin Huo of RIKEN CSRS, along with his co-workers, used a novel catalyst to modify a common polyolefin polymer. Using this catalyst, they incorporated a sulfur-containing group, a thioether, into the polymer, creating a self-healing material with strong bonds and gold coatings.

According to Huo, without the catalyst, their attempt at creating flexible conductors would have been impossible:

“Our work demonstrates that catalyst-controlled copolymerization of olefins with different properties can serve as a useful protocol for synthesizing polyolefin materials with multiple functions for advanced technologies. These findings may inspire further explorations in this area.”

He added that this approach has proven advantageous because sulfur pairs readily with gold due to their natural compatibility. This affinity has allowed for a strong bond between the self-healing polymer and gold coatings. To show the strength of this bond, he said that it “was resistant to more than 50 cycles of a tape-peeling test”—a durability test where adhesive tape is repeatedly applied and peeled off to check if the coating stays intact.

Huo also explained the logic behind their choice of polymer:

“Polyolefins are ubiquitous in daily life and account for the largest production volume among all polymers. They combine several desirable properties, including low cost, robust mechanical strength, ease of processing, and excellent chemical and environmental stability, making them promising candidates for conductor applications.”

This development will greatly benefit electronic devices, especially wearables and soft robotics. Manufacturers can leverage flexible conductors to ensure their products last longer and perform more reliably.

Read the full article here to learn more about flexible conductors.

In semiconductor labs, incubated shakers are used to condition and mix solutions that need steady heat and motion. This helps technicians get consistent results when working with materials that don’t leave much room for error. You can explore the available incubated shakers at BEING Scientific.