pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S15 - Special: Flexible electronics Polymers and Processes
Oral Presentation
 
 

Extrusion printing of PEDOT:PSS hydrogels: tuning electrical and rheological properties

Ghaderi Saeed (1), Ghaffarkhah Ahmadreza (1), Kamkar Milad (1), Amini Majed (1), Haddadi Seyyedarash (1), Arjmand Mohammad (1)*

(1) University of British Columbia - British Columbia - Canada

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) has shown outstanding electromechanical properties for both research and commercials. For instance, printing of PEDOT:PSS has gained widespread interest in stretchable and wearable electronics for the fabrication of sensors, biomedical patches, implantable devices, and soft robotics. Herein, we fine-tuned the electrical and rheological properties of PEDOT:PSS hydrogels via treatment with high boiling point solvents to achieve appropriate printing fidelity. To this aim, we doped PEDOT:PSS chains with a wide range of solvents, including dimethyl formaldehyde (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and environmentally friendly ethylene glycol (EG). In the first step, the structural features of the samples were well characterized by XRD and XPS techniques before and after solvent modification. Afterwards, the rheological behavior of the samples was evaluated and those having the most favorable viscoelastic response were selected for extrusion printing. The achieved results confirmed that employing EG as a dopant, compared to its other toxic modifier counterparts, brings about high-performance inks for high-quality extrusion printing with tuned electrical conductivity for manufacturing wearable electronics and sensors.