Innovation and Technology

應用於穿戴式裝置、吸附於皮膚表面和植入式電子產品的柔軟物料

Prof. Zheng Zijian
鄭子劍教授

Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices
Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
應用生物及化學科技學系軟材料及器件講座教授

Our research team is currently focusing on developing functional materials for soft electronics, with a particular interest in exploring their potential applications in areas such as health, sports, biomedicine, and lifestyles. Our approach differs from conventional electronics in that we are focusing on creating soft, flexible materials that take the form of fibres, textiles, and stretchable rubbers. These materials are then engineered into wearable fabric-like devices that can be worn, or skin-like patches that can be applied directly to the skin or even implanted inside the body.

我們的研究團隊一直致力開發具功能性的柔軟物料，並希望將其應用於表面柔軟的電子裝置之上，我們尤其希望將這種技術應用於健康、運動、生物醫學方面以改善生活。我們的研究方向與研發一般傳統電子產品不同，我們一直集中研究如何採用纖維、紡織布料及可拉伸橡膠等物質，來研發出具柔軟性及靈活度的物料，再將其改良成為與紡織布料質感相似的可穿戴裝置，或可以直接應用於皮膚上甚至植入體內的皮膚貼片。

To achieve these goals, we have been working intensively on the following areas:

為達至以上目標，我們的研究工作一直集中於以下範疇：

Flexible and stretchable electronic materials

具柔軟性和可拉伸的電子物料

Conventional electronic materials, including metals, semiconductors, and insulators, have been found to exhibit inherent brittleness, rendering them susceptible to cracking and fracturing upon bending or stretching. To address this limitation, we have been developing flexible and even stretchable electronic materials with the use of techniques such as chemical synthesis, surface modification, and compositing. These materials can then be coated onto fibres, textiles, thin films, and rubbers with high durability and performance.

一些傳統電子物料，包括金屬、半導體和絕緣體等，皆具有脆弱性的特質，令它們在彎曲或拉伸時容易裂開或斷裂。為了解決這方面的不足，我們的研究著墨於透過使用化學合成、改造表質及將多個物料合成等技術，來開發具柔軟性和可拉伸的電子物料。然後再將這些物料塗覆到纖維、紡織品、薄膜以及橡膠上，以帶來高耐用性和卓越性能。

_{Printed metallic electrodes for soft electronics
貼印於柔軟電子貼片上的金屬電極物料}

Flexible batteries

柔軟電池

Most electronic devices necessitate reliable battery to power. However, conventional batteries, which are rigid in nature, are difficult to be integrated with flexible electronic devices. To address this issue, we have focused on developing highly flexible rechargeable batteries, including flexible lithium-ion batteries, Zn batteries, and future high-energy-density lithium metal batteries, and synthesizing new battery component materials such as current collectors, electrodes, separators, and electrolytes, and engineer the battery structure. As a result, the flexible batteries can be bent or even folded without losing its performance. Moreover, these batteries can be charged and discharged a few hundred times, comparable to commonly used lithium-ion batteries in mobile phones.

大部份電子設備都需要可靠的供電來運作。然而，傳統電池本身極為堅硬，難以應用於柔軟的電子裝置之上。有見及此，我們致力開發具極高柔軟度的可充電電池，包括柔性鋰離子電池、鋅電池和具潛力的高能量密度鋰金屬電池，並改良了電池的結構，當中加入了電流收集器、電極、隔膜和電解液等應用於新型電池的零件，讓這些電池能夠彎曲甚至折疊而不會失去其性能。另外，這些電池更可以充電及使用數百次，耐用性堪比手機常用的鋰離子電池。

Biocompatible, permeable soft electronic devices

可與生物相容、具滲透性能的柔軟電子裝置

Biocompatibility and permeability play a pivotal role in wearable and bioelectronics. In addition to ensuring the devices are soft and functional, it is important to develop biosafe and comfortable devices that can be worn for extended period. Hence, we have developed stretchable electronics with permeable properties by fabricating devices on porous and fibrous structures. These devices exhibit high level of flexibility and stretchability. Moreover, the utilization of permeable structures enhances the devices' wearability and long-term biocompatibility, which is essential for skin-attached and implantable bioelectronics.

對於可穿戴裝置和生物電子設備而言，具備生物相容性和可被物質滲透的特性尤其重要。這些電子裝置除了需要具備柔軟度而且能發揮功能之外，能否舒適地長時間佩戴，以及確保生物安全亦是重要的考慮因素。 因此，我們採用了多孔和纖維結構，開發出一種能被物質滲透的可拉伸電子裝置。 這些裝置表現出極高的靈活度和伸延性。此外，可滲透的結構增強了裝置的耐磨性和生物相容性，而這些特質對應用於皮膚上甚至植入體內的電子裝置而言，皆十分重要。

Advanced fabrication technologies for large-area and nanoscale patterning on soft substrates

於柔軟基礎物料上大範圍編制納米結構的先進整合技術

This research focuses on developing advanced fabrication technologies that are compatible to new materials and device form factors. Its objective is to develop advanced mask-less fabrication technologies that allow precise control of nanostructures and enable large-area patterning on soft substrates. To attain so, our team has focused on developing high-precision scanning-based printing platforms and high-throughput electrochemical replication platforms.

這項研究的重點是開發先進整合技術，藉以研發出具備不同結構且能適用於不同裝置外形的新物料。我們希望開發出先進的無遮模整合技術，並精確地為柔軟基礎物料大範圍編制出納米結構。為此，我們一直鑽研具高精密度的掃描式打印平台和高性能的電化學複製平台。

_{An electrochemical replication and transfer technology enabling high-speed and cost-effective fabrication of soft materials and electronics.
一種具備成本效益的電化學複製和轉移技術，可以快速製作出柔軟物料及具柔軟度的電子產品}