Work

Method for Patterning of Conductive Polymers on Flexible Substrates with Possible Applications for Wearable Sensing

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study presents a novel fabrication approach for the precise patterning of conductive polymer coatings (graphene/PEDOT:PSS) on flexible substrates. Traditional lithographic methods often result in chemical or thermal degradation of polymer chains, compromising electrical conductivity. The proposed method utilizes an inversely structured gold nanocoating (400-450 nm) as a sacrificial template. By employing a selective lift-off process in a potassium iodide solution, high-resolution polymer topologies are achieved without damaging the active material. The resulting structures exhibit a sheet resistance of 90-100 Ω/sq and maintain linear sensitivity to temperature and humidity, making them suitable for next-generation wearable medical diagnostics.

Source: Micromachines

DOI: 10.3390/mi17040467

Authors: Mariya Aleksandrova, Georgi Nikolov, Valentin Mateev, Rade Tomov, Ivo Iliev

Institution: Technical University of Sofia

Language: English

Topic: Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534

Funder: European Commission