• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.370-377
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• 2023

Soft and stretchable electronics, equipped with diverse functional devices, have recently garnered attention owing to their versatility in applications such as stretchable displays, flexible batteries, and electronic skin (e-skin). A fundamental challenge in realizing stretchable electronics lies in conferring the necessary flexibility to crucial electrical components such as electrodes and devices. However, the prevalent electronic materials, exhibit limited stretchability, presenting a significant obstacle to the advancement of soft and stretchable electronics. To overcome this challenge, various strategies rooted in geometrical engineering have been explored to enhance the adaptability of rigid materials. This study delves into the realm of geometrical engineering by, examining techniques such as serpentine patterns, kirigami-inspired designs, and island structures, with a keen focus on recent progress and future prospects.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.283-287
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• 2022

Stretchable strain sensors have been developed for potential future applications including wearable devices and health monitoring. For practical implementation of stretchable strain sensors, their stability and repeatability are one of the important aspects to be considered. In this work, we utilized 3D printed polymer structures having kirigami patterns to improve the stretchability and reduce the hysteresis. The polymer structures were coated with graphene/carbon nanofiber hybrids to make a robust electrical network. The stretchable strain sensors showed a high gauge of 36 at a strain of 32%. Because of the kirigami structures and the robust graphene/carbon nanofiber coating, the sensors also exhibited stable resistance responses at various strains ranging from 1% to 30%.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.525-530
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• 2023

Stretchable piezoelectric energy harvester (S-PEHs) based on composite materials are considered one of the potential candidates for realizing wearable self-powered devices for smart clothing and electronic skin. However, low energy conversion performance and expensive stretchable electrodes are major bottlenecks hindering the development and application of S-PEHs. Here, we fabricated the S-PEH by adopting the piezoelectric composites with enhanced stress transfer properties and kirigami-patterned textile electrodes. The optimum contents of piezoelectric BaTiO₃ nanoparticles inside the carbon nanotube/ecoflex composite were selected as 30 wt% considering the trade-off between stretchability and energy harvesting performance of the device. The final S-PEH shows an output voltage and mechanical stability of ~5 V and ~3,000 cycles under repeated 150% of tensile strain, respectively. This work presents a cost-effective and scalable way to fabricate stretchable piezoelectric devices for self-powered wearable electronic systems.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.479-495
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• 2019

Periodic cellular core structures included in sandwich panels possess good stiffness while saving weight and only lately their potential to act as passive vibration filters is increasingly being studied. Classical homogeneous honeycombs show poor vibracoustic performance and only by varying certain geometrical features, a shift and/or variation in bandgap frequency range occurs. This work aims to investigate the vibration filtering properties of the AUXHEX "hybrid" core, which is a cellular structure containing cells of different shapes. Numerical simulations are carried out using two different approaches. The first technique used is the harmonic analysis with commercially available software, and the second one, which has been proved to be computationally more efficient, consists in the Wave Finite Element Method (WFEM), which still makes use of finite elements (FEM) packages, but instead of working with large models, it exploits the periodicity of the structure by analysing only the unit cell, thanks to the Floquet-Bloch theorem. Both techniques allow to produce graphs such as frequency response plots (FRF's) and dispersion curves, which are powerful tools used to identify the spectral bandgap signature of the considered structure. The hybrid cellular core pattern AUXHEX is analysed and results are discussed, focusing the investigation on the possible spectral bandgap signature heritage that a hybrid core experiences from their "parents" homogeneous cell cores.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.667-685
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• 2022

This paper aims to investigate 4D printing materials for soft robots. 4D printing is a targeted evolution of the 3D printed structure in shape, property, and functionality. It is capable of self-assembly, multi-functionality, and self-repair. In addition, it is time-dependent, printer-independent, and predictable. The shape-shifting behaviors considered in 4D printing include folding, bending, twisting, linear or nonlinear expansion/contraction, surface curling, and generating surface topographical features. The shapes can shift from 1D to 1D, 1D to 2D, 2D to 2D, 1D to 3D, 2D to 3D, and 3D to 3D. In the 4D printing auxetic structure, the kinetiX is a cellular-based material design composed of rigid plates and elastic hinges. In pneumatic auxetics based on the kirigami structure, an inverse optimization method for designing and fabricating morphs three-dimensional shapes out of patterns laid out flat. When 4D printing material is molded into a deformable 3D structure, it can be applied to the exoskeleton material of soft robots such as upper and lower limbs, fingers, hands, toes, and feet. Research on 4D printing materials for soft robots is essential in developing smart clothing for healthcare in the textile and fashion industry.