Development of 'Flexible Electrode'.. The Secret is the 'Hole'

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Domestic researchers have developed electrodes with microscopic holes in thin-film electrodes, enabling them to be folded or bent. This technology allows the implementation of flexible electrodes or transistors without new production processes, making it applicable for the development of flexible devices. On the 7th, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology announced the research results of Professor Jang Jae-eun's team from the Department of Information and Communication Convergence.

The research team developed a thin-film electrode manufacturing technology that arranges very small micro-holes in specific shapes on existing thin-film electrodes to enhance electrical durability. Unlike previous methods that aimed to prevent cracks by adding flexibility to electrodes, this technology generates and controls cracks.

The team formed 2?3 micrometer-sized holes in a specific pattern on the electrodes so that cracks occur only at the hole areas. As a result, even after bending the electrode more than 300,000 times, cracks were concentrated only on the sides of the holes. No cracks appeared in other areas, so the electrical durability of the electrode remained intact. The team also successfully applied the same technology to transistors, achieving high durability while maintaining flexibility.

Professor Jang said, "The thin-film electrode developed through this research is a new concept electrode that effectively controls cracks using microscopic holes," adding, "If this related technology is further developed, it is expected to have a positive impact on the revolutionary improvement of the electrical durability of flexible electronic devices."

The research results were published in the international journal 'ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces' in the relevant field.

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