Large scale micropatterning of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite polymer on highly flexible 12x24 inch substrates

A. Khosla; D. Hilbich; C. Drewbrook; D. Chung; B. L. Gray

doi:10.1117/12.876738

15 February 2011 Large scale micropatterning of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite polymer on highly flexible 12×24 inch substrates

A. Khosla, D. Hilbich, C. Drewbrook, D. Chung, B. L. Gray

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7926, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology XVI; 79260L (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.876738
Event: SPIE MOEMS-MEMS, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We present the large scale micro-pattering of an electrically conducting multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite polymer prepared by high frequency (42 kHz) ultrasonic agitation of MWCNTs in the PDMS polymer matrix. Large scale micropatterning of the MWCNT-PDMS nanocomposite is achieved via soft lithography employing a 12" × 24" poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA, commercially known as Plexiglass) micromold. The process has a 20µm minimum feature size. The PMMA micromold is fabricated by laser ablating 5-mm thick, 12" × 24" sheets using the Universal Laser System's VersaLASER© laser cutter system which employs a CO₂ laser. We have characterized and compared the resistivity of 1cm × 0.5cm × 0.5cm MWCNT-PDMS structures with varying weight percentage (wt-%) of MWCNT (1-10% wt%) in the PDMS matrix with a result that the percolation threshold is achieved at 2 wt-%. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the ability to fabricate large numbers of microelectrodes with a length of 3.0 cm, width of 500µm, and height of 400µm. The resistivity of these electrodes was found to be equal to 9.93Ωm with a deviation of approximately 10%, indicating uniformity across large areas of the substrate. We have also demonstrated a large scale 12" × 24 hybrid microfabrication process for combining micromolded MWCNT-PDMS nanocomposite microstructures with nonconductive PDMS polymer.

Citation Download Citation

A. Khosla, D. Hilbich, C. Drewbrook, D. Chung, and B. L. Gray "Large scale micropatterning of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite polymer on highly flexible 12×24 inch substrates", Proc. SPIE 7926, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology XVI, 79260L (15 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.876738

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