Anti-deformation flexible film electrode structure and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an anti-deformation flexible film electrode structure and a preparation method thereof. The structure comprises a polymer flexible substrate; the flexible film electrode is deposited on the polymer flexible substrate by adopting silk-screen printing; wherein the flexible film electrode is of a curve structure, and the rotating angle of the flexible film electrode is 270 degrees. Due to the fact that the flexible film electrode is of a curve structure and the rotating angle is 270 degrees, the deformation resistance of the flexible electrode is effectively enhanced structurally, meanwhile, the polymer flexible substrate endows the whole electrode structure with excellent flexibility, the electrode structure can adapt to various complex curved surfaces and deformation, and the application range is wide. Due to the characteristic, the electrode can still keep stability and reliability in the deformation processes of bending, stretching and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of flexible thermoelectric energy collection devices, and in particular relates to an anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Flexible thin film electrodes with anti-deformation properties have broad application prospects in battery manufacturing, sensor manufacturing, biomedicine, electrochemical analysis and other fields. Thanks to their superior anti-deformation ability, they can maintain comprehensive performance under complex external mechanical environments, ensuring the stability of the test performance of sensors composed of anti-deformation flexible thin film electrodes, reducing sensor maintenance costs, and providing strong support for device manufacturing and application under complex mechanical environments.

[0003] Existing traditional flexible thin film electrodes and devices are prone to bending and deforming under external pressure, resulting in tiny cracks. These cracks will affect their original factory performance and cause a series of problems such as reduced test accuracy and increased drift, ultimately making it difficult for them to maintain reliable and stable operation in complex mechanical environments.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode that can work stably in a complex mechanical environment, is thin and light, easy to process, flexible and conformable. The flexible thin film sensor prepared or composed based on this electrode can maintain stable measurement characteristics in a complex mechanical environment. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure and a preparation method thereof, so as to solve the technical defect that the existing traditional flexible thin film electrodes and devices are easy to bend and deform under external pressure, and produce tiny cracks, which will affect their original factory performance and cause a series of problems such as reduced test accuracy and increased drift, which ultimately makes it difficult to maintain reliable and stable operation in complex mechanical environments.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure is provided, comprising: Polymer flexible substrate; A flexible thin film electrode is deposited on the polymer flexible substrate by screen printing; Wherein, the flexible film electrode is a curved structure with a turning angle of 270 degrees.

[0007] Furthermore, the polymer flexible substrate is made of one of polyimide, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene naphthalate.

[0008] Furthermore, the cross section of the polymer flexible substrate is rectangular.

[0009] Furthermore, the flexible film electrode is made of a mixture of powder material and fiber material; The powder material is a block structure, each of the powder materials in the block structure is entangled with the fiber material, and adjacent powder materials are overlapped by the fiber material.

[0010] Furthermore, the powder material includes aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide or indium tin oxide.

[0011] Furthermore, the fiber material is fiber powder with a large aspect ratio.

[0012] Furthermore, the fiber material includes multi-walled carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, silica fibers or high-silica fibers.

[0013] In a second aspect, a method for preparing a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure is provided, comprising: The flexible thin film electrode structure is designed by using the peano curve to optimize the structure; The pine alcohol solvent, epoxy resin and polyetheramine are mixed with the powder material and the fiber material in a certain proportion to obtain a printing paste; Cleaning the polymer flexible substrate, and using a screen printing mask to pattern the printing paste according to the designed flexible thin film electrode structure; The prepared pattern is solidified, and the solidified pattern is sintered at a high temperature to obtain a flexible thin film electrode.

[0014] Furthermore, the cleaning of the polymer flexible substrate specifically includes: The polymer flexible substrate is cleaned with acetone, ethanol and deionized water in sequence, and then the surface of the polymer flexible substrate is treated with an oxygen ion cleaning machine.

[0015] Further, the prepared pattern is cured, and the cured pattern is sintered at a high temperature to obtain a flexible thin film electrode, which specifically includes: The prepared pattern is placed on a hot platform at a temperature of 60°C-80°C for curing; The solidified graphic sample is placed in a high-temperature atmospheric environment for sintering; Among them, the high temperature is 200℃~300℃, and the sintering time is 1~5h.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Since the flexible thin film electrode has a curved structure and a rotation angle of 270 degrees, the deformation resistance of the flexible electrode is effectively enhanced from a structural perspective. At the same time, the polymer flexible substrate gives the entire electrode structure excellent flexibility, enabling it to adapt to various complex curves and deformations. This feature enables the electrode to maintain stability and reliability during deformation processes such as bending and stretching.

[0017] 2. Using these high-performance polymer materials as flexible substrates can significantly improve the flexibility, conductivity and stability of flexible electronic devices.

[0018] 3. The design of rectangular cross section makes the polymer flexible substrate easier to control during cutting, trimming and molding, improving processing accuracy and efficiency; moreover, the rectangular shape is easy to achieve standardization and large-scale production, which is conducive to reducing production costs and improving production efficiency.

[0019] 4. The powder material provides the required conductivity of the electrode, while the fiber material enhances the flexibility and stretchability of the electrode. After the two are mixed, the electrode can maintain good conductivity and adapt to various deformations. Adjacent powder materials are overlapped by fiber materials. This structure enables the fiber to disperse stress when the electrode is stretched or bent, preventing the electrode from breaking or falling off, thereby improving the durability and reliability of the electrode.

[0020] 5. Using them in flexible thin film electrodes can significantly improve the conductivity, hardness, wear resistance, high temperature resistance and chemical stability of the electrodes.

[0021] 6. Fiber powder with a large aspect ratio can form a continuous fiber network in the electrode. This network structure enables the electrode to disperse stress when it is bent or stretched, thereby maintaining the flexibility and integrity of the electrode.

[0022] 7. Using them as fiber materials for flexible thin film electrodes can significantly improve the conductivity, mechanical strength, thermal stability, chemical stability and optical properties of the electrodes.

[0023] 8. In the preparation of printing paste, the powder material is fully mixed with the fiber powder with a large aspect ratio to form a block-fiber cross-interconnected structure, which effectively enhances the binding between the block functional powders and maintains the stability of the electrochemical properties of the electrode under the action of external force, thus ensuring the flexibility, conformability, and functional stability of the electrode from the material-structure perspective. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A comparison diagram of mechanical simulation of the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure provided by the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electrode material structure in the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure provided by the present invention; Figure 4 A graph showing the test results of electrodes in the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure provided by the present invention; Figure 5 A flow chart of the method for preparing the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure provided by the present invention; Among them: 1. Polymer flexible substrate; 2. Flexible thin film electrode; 3. Powder material; 4. Fiber material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0027] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0029] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner", etc. indicate an orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use, it is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", which does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0031] Flexible thin film electrodes with anti-deformation properties have broad application prospects in battery manufacturing, sensor manufacturing, biomedicine, electrochemical analysis and other fields. Thanks to their superior anti-deformation ability, they can maintain comprehensive performance under complex external mechanical environments, ensuring the stability of the test performance of sensors composed of anti-deformation flexible thin film electrodes, reducing sensor maintenance costs, and providing strong support for device manufacturing and application under complex mechanical environments.

[0032] Existing traditional flexible thin film electrodes and devices are prone to bending and deforming under external pressure, resulting in tiny cracks. These cracks will affect their original factory performance and cause a series of problems such as reduced test accuracy and increased drift, ultimately making it difficult for them to maintain reliable and stable operation in complex mechanical environments.

[0033] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode that can work stably in a complex mechanical environment, is thin and light, easy to process, flexible and conformable. The flexible thin film sensor prepared or composed based on this electrode can maintain stable measurement characteristics in a complex mechanical environment.

[0034] In order to solve the above technical defects, the inventor provides a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure and a preparation method thereof.

[0035] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: like Figure 1-Figure 3As shown, in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure is provided, including a polymer flexible substrate 1; a flexible thin film electrode 2, which is deposited on the polymer flexible substrate 1 by screen printing; wherein the flexible thin film electrode 2 is a curved structure with a turning angle of 270 degrees. In this process, in the structural design of the flexible thin film electrode 2, the "Peano curve" is used to optimize the structure, so that it is a curved structure with a structural turning angle of 270 degrees, replacing the traditional linear electrode structure design, under the same force or deformation conditions, effectively reducing the internal stress value of the flexible thin film electrode 2, and enhancing the deformation resistance of the flexible thin film electrode 2; at the same time, the polymer flexible substrate 1 gives the entire electrode structure excellent flexibility, so that it can adapt to various complex surfaces and deformations. This characteristic enables the electrode to maintain stability and reliability during deformation processes such as bending and stretching. Furthermore, the polymer flexible substrate 1 is made of one of polyimide, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene naphthalate. Using these high-performance polymer materials as the flexible substrate can significantly improve the flexibility, conductivity and stability of the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure; at the same time, by using the above-mentioned different materials, the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure can be suitable for a wider range of application fields, such as wearable devices, biomedicine or flexible display and other technical fields.

[0036] In this embodiment, the cross section of the polymer flexible substrate 1 is rectangular. The design of the rectangular cross section makes the polymer flexible substrate 1 easier to control during cutting, trimming and molding, improves processing accuracy and efficiency, and the rectangular shape is easy to achieve standardized and large-scale production, which is conducive to reducing production costs and improving production efficiency. In addition, the rectangular cross section helps to evenly distribute stress on the polymer flexible substrate 1, reducing the risk of deformation or rupture caused by stress concentration; at the same time, the polymer flexible substrate 1 with a rectangular structure has good tensile, bending and torsion resistance, thereby enhancing the mechanical strength and stability of the polymer flexible substrate 1. When used, the rectangular cross section makes it easier for the polymer flexible substrate 1 to interface with other components or devices, such as connection with electronic components, sensors or connectors, etc., and also facilitates accurate assembly and alignment, improving the assembly efficiency and reliability of the overall device; in operation, by adjusting the size and proportion of the rectangle, the performance of the polymer flexible substrate 1, such as conductivity, flexibility and thermal stability, can be optimized.

[0037] like Figure 3As shown, the flexible film electrode 2 is formed by mixing powder material 3 and fiber material 4; wherein the powder material 3 is a block structure, and each block structure of the powder material 3 is wrapped with fiber material 4, and adjacent powder materials 3 are overlapped by fiber material 4. Specifically, the powder material 3 provides the conductive properties required by the flexible film electrode 2, while the fiber material 4 enhances the flexibility and stretchability of the flexible film electrode 2. After the two are mixed, the flexible film electrode 2 can maintain good conductivity and adapt to various deformations. Adjacent powder materials 3 are overlapped by fiber material 4. This structure enables the fibers of the flexible film electrode 2 to disperse stress when stretched or bent, preventing the flexible film electrode 2 from breaking or falling off, thereby improving the durability and reliability of the flexible film electrode 2. The powder material 3 itself has good conductive properties and is the main carrier for the conduction of the flexible film electrode 2. By optimizing the type and proportion of the powder material 3, the conductive properties of the flexible film electrode 2 can be further improved. The fiber material 4 plays a role in stabilizing the powder material 3 in the flexible film electrode 2, preventing the powder material 3 from falling off or agglomerating during long-term use, thereby ensuring the stability of the conductive properties of the flexible film electrode 2. When used, the mixture of the powder material 3 and the fiber material 4 makes the flexible film electrode 2 easier to process and can prepare flexible film electrodes 2 of various shapes and sizes by screen printing, spraying and other processes. In addition, since the flexible film electrode 2 material contains the fiber material 4, the flexible film electrode 2 has a certain plasticity and can be customized according to the specific application scenario to meet different needs. In this solution, the fiber material 4 acts as a bridge between the flexible film electrode 2 and the polymer flexible substrate 1, enhancing the adhesion between the flexible film electrode 2 and the polymer flexible substrate 1, and preventing the flexible film electrode 2 from falling off or peeling off during use. In addition, by selecting suitable powder materials 3 and fiber materials 4, the flexible film electrode 2 can have good compatibility with various polymer flexible substrate 1 materials, ensuring the stable operation of the flexible film electrode 2 on the polymer flexible substrate 1. The mixed use of powder material 3 and fiber material 4 improves material utilization, reduces waste, and thus reduces production costs. Moreover, depending on the types of powder material 3 and fiber material 4 selected, the environmentally friendly preparation and use of flexible thin film electrode 2 can be achieved, reducing pollution to the environment.

[0038] In this embodiment, the powder material 3 includes aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide or indium tin oxide. Each of these powder materials has unique properties. Using them in the flexible thin film electrode 2 can significantly improve the conductivity, hardness, wear resistance, high temperature resistance and chemical stability of the flexible thin film electrode 2.

[0039] like Figure 3As shown, the fiber material 4 is a fiber powder with a large aspect ratio. The fiber powder 4 with a large aspect ratio can form a continuous fiber network in the flexible film electrode 2. This network structure enables the flexible film electrode 2 to disperse stress when being bent or stretched, thereby maintaining the flexibility and integrity of the flexible film electrode 2. At the same time, the fiber with a large aspect ratio is not easy to break during the stretching process, and can maintain good conductivity, so that the flexible film electrode 2 has better performance in stretchable applications. In addition, the fiber powder 4 with a large aspect ratio can form a denser conductive network in the flexible film electrode 2, improve the conductivity of the flexible film electrode 2, and the overlap and winding between the fibers reduce the resistance, so that the current is transmitted more smoothly in the flexible film electrode 2, and the conductive efficiency of the flexible film electrode 2 is improved. In terms of the connection relationship, the fiber with a large aspect ratio plays a skeleton role in the flexible film electrode 2, enhances the structural stability of the flexible film electrode 2, and makes the flexible film electrode 2 not easy to deform or damage when subjected to external forces. Moreover, the interweaving and winding between the fibers improve the tear strength of the flexible film electrode 2, making the flexible film electrode 2 more durable during use. During the processing, the fiber powder 4 with a large aspect ratio is easier to disperse and mix evenly, which improves the preparation efficiency and consistency of the flexible thin film electrode 2. As a result, the fiber powder 4 with a large aspect ratio forms a mechanical locking effect between the flexible thin film electrode 2 and the polymer flexible substrate 1, thereby enhancing the bonding force between the flexible thin film electrode 2 and the polymer flexible substrate 1 and preventing the polymer flexible substrate 1 from falling off or peeling off during use.

[0040] In this embodiment, the fiber material 4 includes multi-walled carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, silica fibers or high-silica fibers. The properties of different materials enable the flexible thin film electrode 2 to adapt to more diverse application scenarios, such as wearable devices, flexible display screens, high temperature sensors or biomedical sensors.

[0041] In a second aspect, a method for preparing a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure is provided, comprising: S101. The flexible thin film electrode structure is designed by adopting the Peano curve optimization structure. For example, in the structural design of the flexible thin film electrode 2, the traditional linear electrode structure design is replaced by the "Peano curve" optimization structure to make it a curved structure with a structural rotation angle of 270 degrees. Under the same stress or deformation conditions, the internal stress value of the flexible thin film electrode 2 is effectively reduced, and the deformation resistance of the flexible thin film electrode 2 is effectively enhanced.

[0042] S102, pine alcohol solvent, epoxy resin and polyether amine, powder material and fiber material are mixed in a certain proportion to obtain printing paste; illustratively, pine alcohol solvent, epoxy resin and polyether amine are mixed with powder material 3 and fiber material 4 in a certain proportion to obtain printing paste, and the internal structure diagram of the paste is as shown in Figure 3 As shown, the particle size of the powder material 3 is 20-50 microns, the diameter of the fiber material 4 is 10-50 nanometers, and the length is 30-100 microns. The fiber material 4 realizes a series of physical binding effects such as wrapping, winding, overlapping, and entangling the powder material 3, forming a block-fiber cross-interconnected structure, effectively enhancing the binding between the block-shaped functional powder materials 3, so that the flexible film electrode 2 has flexible characteristics within the service temperature range of room temperature to 400°C, while maintaining stable electrochemical characteristics, and has the characteristics of flexible conformity and stable functions.

[0043] S103, cleaning the polymer flexible substrate, and using a screen printing mask to pattern the printing paste according to the designed flexible thin film electrode structure; illustratively, the polymer flexible substrate 1 is cleaned with acetone, ethanol and deionized water in sequence, and then the surface of the polymer flexible substrate 1 is treated with an oxygen ion cleaner.

[0044] S104, solidify the prepared pattern, and sinter the solidified pattern at high temperature to obtain a flexible thin film electrode. Exemplarily, the prepared pattern is placed on a hot platform at a temperature of 60°C-80°C for solidification; the solidified pattern sample is sintered in a high temperature atmospheric environment; wherein the high temperature is 200°C~300°C, and the sintering time is 1~5h. Then, the flexible thin film electrode 2 is subjected to a bending fatigue test, that is, a stepper motor is combined with a lead screw to achieve reciprocating motion, and the test results are as follows Figure 4 As shown, during the 4-hour test, the maximum change rate of the resistance of the prepared flexible thin film electrode 2 is ≤5%, and it has excellent anti-deformation ability.

[0045] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit its protection scope. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in the field should understand that after reading the present invention, those skilled in the art can still make various changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions to the specific implementation methods of the invention, but these changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions are all within the protection scope of the pending claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure, characterized in that: include: Polymer flexible substrate (1); A flexible thin film electrode (2) is deposited on the polymer flexible substrate (1) by screen printing; Wherein, the flexible thin film electrode (2) is a curved structure, and its turning angle is 270 degrees.

2. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The polymer flexible substrate (1) is made of one of polyimide, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene naphthalate.

3. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross section of the polymer flexible substrate (1) is rectangular.

4. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible film electrode (2) is formed by mixing a powder material (3) and a fiber material (4); The powder material (3) is a block structure, each block-shaped powder material (3) is entangled with the fiber material (4), and adjacent powder materials (3) are overlapped by the fiber material (4).

5. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The powder material (3) includes aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide or indium tin oxide.

6. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fiber material (4) is fiber powder with a large aspect ratio.

7. The anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 4 or 6, characterized in that: The fiber material (4) includes multi-walled carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, silica fibers or high-silica fibers.

8. A method for preparing an anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: The flexible thin film electrode structure is designed by using the peano curve to optimize the structure; The pine alcohol solvent, epoxy resin and polyetheramine are mixed with the powder material and the fiber material in a certain proportion to obtain a printing paste; Cleaning the polymer flexible substrate, and using a screen printing mask to pattern the printing paste according to the designed flexible thin film electrode structure; The prepared pattern is solidified, and the solidified pattern is sintered at a high temperature to obtain a flexible thin film electrode.

9. The method for preparing a deformation-resistant flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The cleaning of the polymer flexible substrate specifically includes: The polymer flexible substrate is cleaned with acetone, ethanol and deionized water in sequence, and then the surface of the polymer flexible substrate is treated with an oxygen ion cleaning machine.

10. The method for preparing the anti-deformation flexible thin film electrode structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The prepared pattern is solidified, and the solidified pattern is sintered at a high temperature to obtain a flexible thin film electrode, which specifically includes: The prepared pattern is placed on a hot platform at a temperature of 60°C-80°C for curing; The solidified graphic sample is placed in a high-temperature atmospheric environment for sintering; Among them, the high temperature is 200℃~300℃, and the sintering time is 1~5h.

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