Study on a deformable and shape fixable electronic device using a shape memory polymer film

Abstract

We propose an electronic device capable of being deformable into a target shape and memorable of the shape, by using a shape memory polymer (SMP). Flexible electronic devices attachable to curved surface have been developed by using flexible materials or a rigid material of which the degree of freedom is reduced by structuring. However, most of previous flexible electronic devices return to initial shape by releasing loads, namely not possible to retain its deformed structure by itself. In this study, we fabricated a deformable but shape-memorable electronic device by sealing a flexible wiring in a SMP and evaluated deformation, shape fixity and shape recovery of the device. We found that the electronic device including flexible wiring sealed in SMP was able to fix its shape to same extent with SMP itself. In addition, we confirmed that the electronic device including flexible wiring recovered to its original shape by reheating it.