Dynamic response of flexible hybrid electronic material systems

Flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) material systems embody the intersection of compliant electrical networks and functional material architectures. For a wide variety of future applications, FHE material systems will be subjected to dynamic mechanical stresses, such as for motion monitoring or for vibration isolation. Consequently, an understanding is required on how these new classes of material systems may respond mechanically and electrically when under states of high-cycle and high-frequency loads. Here, conductive silver microflake ink is interfaced with elastomeric geometries programmed with specific strain responses. Changes in electrical resistance under cyclic displacements are shown to depend on the heat generated by electrical current flow and on the thermal heat generation promoted by the pre-strain on the material system. Configurations subject to high static pre-strains and large strain rates exhibit greater increases in temperature and resistance, whereas a near constant conductivity is manifest in FHE material systems with compositions that reduce static local strains despite high engineering pre-strain application. These results may guide future efforts to understand the resistance change in conductive ink networks and expand the use of flexible hybrid electronic material systems into myriad dynamic application environments.