Fig. 1: Upcycling CDs into stretchable electronics.
From: Upcycling Compact Discs for Flexible and Stretchable Bioelectronic Applications
a Schematic of the upcycling process. (1) soak in acetone; (2) harvest metal layer with PI tape; (3) (bottom) laminate CD on tattoo paper; (top) PI tape laminated on water-soluble tape; (4) pattern with mechanical cutter; (5) remove excess and laminate insulation layer; (6) UCDEs. b Cross-sectional view of the UCDE. SEM image of c the CD metal layer after patterning (scale bar, 200 µm) and d cross-section of the UCDE (PI-metal-PI)(scale bar, 20 µm). e FTIR of the metal layer (PMMA side) after processing in acetone, HCl, and HNO3. f Surface characterization with EDS analysis of the CD (metal layer) after soaking in acetone. g Mechanical properties as a function of electrical performance, average and standard error of means (n = 3) of stress vs. strain (blue) and resistance vs. strain (red). Images of lattice patterned UCDE during tensile testing. Toe region (15 mm length), heel region (19 mm length, 27% strain), and linear region (22.5 mm length, 50% strain). Electrical performance, average and standard error of means (n = 3) resistance properties as a function of h cyclic bending and i cyclic stretching. j Representative image of UCDE device. k Components of the UCDE device (scale bar, 4 mm). l Image of the UCDE device laminated on the skin (scale bar, 1 cm).
