Simple method for micro-patterned conductive hydrogel fabrication

In this study, we fabricated a conductive micro-pattern using a simple method, without a conventional photolithography process. To fabricate the conductive pattern, we used UV dicing tape. This UV tape is coated with an acrylic adhesive on the base film. When the UV dicing tape was irradiated with UV, the adhesive strength decreased. Patterning was created on the UV tape using an OFML (Optofluidic maskless lithography) system capable of UV irradiation of micro patterns without a photomask. Since the adhesive force of the UV tape is reduced only in the irradiated portion, when attached to then detached from the AgNW (silver nanowire) coated on another substrate, the AgNW remains on the substrate in the form of the UV patterning. The AgNW pattern left Once transferred to the hydrogel, the AgNW micropattern had excellent bending performance, high durability and high conductivity. Hydrogels containing conductive micro patterns fabricated in this study can be used in a variety of wearable devices and bioelectronics devices.