Laser-induced graphene on PEO/PDMS composites

Abstract

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) has emerged as one of the most promising materials for flexible functional devices. One-step fabrication of LIG offers advantages such as low cost, patterning of desired geometries, and high sensitivity. However, previous attempts to obtain LIG on elastomeric substrates have been unsuccessful, limiting its potential for use in stretchable electronics. In this study, we propose using a substrate composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with a low molecular weight as a platform for manufacturing LIG. A series of PDMS/PEO materials with varying concentrations of PEO (1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt.%) were prepared using a cast-based approach, starting from divinyl-terminated-PDMS and poly(methyl-hydrogensiloxane). The prepared PDMS/PEO/graphene composites were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. FTIR analysis confirmed the structure of the prepared PDMS/PEO and PDMS/PEO/graphene materials. The results demonstrated that the prepared PDMS/PEO composites exhibited a higher degree of graphenization compared to pure PDMS networks. SEM analysis revealed the formation of a porous graphene structure. Based on these findings, the PDMS/PEO/graphene composites show promise for further investigation as electronic device applications.