Methods and systems for fabricating elastomer-based electronic devices and devices formed thereby

1. A method of fabricating an elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device, the method comprising:

printing a first quantity of a first liquid material on a fabric substrate that comprises fibers, the first liquid material being printed with a three-dimensional printer, the three-dimensional printer directly printing the first liquid material onto the fabric substrate so that a portion of the first liquid material infiltrates a surface region of the fabric substrate as a result of the first liquid material wicking through some of the fibers of the fabric substrate;

at least partially curing the first quantity of the first liquid material to form a solid matrix of an elastomer-based composite that comprises the matrix and the fabric substrate, wherein infiltration of the fabric substrate is such that the elastomer-based composite cannot be removed from the fabric substrate without tearing the elastomer-based composite or the fabric substrate;

printing a second liquid material on the elastomer-based composite with the three-dimensional printer to form a first film on the elastomer-based composite;

printing an additional quantity of the first liquid material on the film with the three-dimensional printer to form an elastomer-based film on the first film;

wherein the elastomer-based composite, the first film, and the elastomer-based film are elastically-deformable electrical components of the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device and elastically deform when the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device experiences strain of at least 50%, and either:

the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device is a capacitor, the first film is a dielectric and an insulator of the capacitor, and the elastomer-based composite and the elastomer-based film are electrically conductive and are electrodes of the capacitor; or

the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device is a resistor, the first film is electrically conductive and a resistive element of the resistor, and the elastomer-based composite and the elastomer-based film are dielectrics and encapsulate the first film.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device is the capacitor, the first film is the insulator of the capacitor, and the elastomer-based composite and the elastomer-based film are the electrodes of the capacitor.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first liquid material comprises a precursor of an electrically-conductive elastomer material and the second liquid material comprises a precursor of a dielectric elastomer material.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the precursor of the electrically-conductive elastomer material comprises conductive particles dispersed in a liquid pre-polymer.

5. The method according to claim 3 , the method further comprising:

curing the precursor of the dielectric elastomer material after the printing thereof to form the first film.

6. The method according to claim 5 , the method further comprising, after the curing of the precursor of the dielectric elastomer material to form the first film:

curing the additional quantity of the precursor of the electrically-conductive elastomer material to form the elastomer-based film.

7. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the capacitor is a component of a strain sensor or a pressure sensor of a wearable sensory garment.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer-based strain-sensing electronic device is the resistor, the first film is the resistive element of the resistor, and the elastomer-based composite and the elastomer-based film encapsulate the first film.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first liquid material comprises a precursor of a dielectric elastomer material and the second liquid material comprises a precursor of an electrically-conductive elastomer material.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first film is an electrically-conductive liquid film.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first liquid material comprises a precursor of a dielectric elastomer material and the second liquid material is a liquid electrical conductor.

12. The method according to claim 11 , the method further comprising, after the printing of the liquid electrical conductor to form the electrically-conductive liquid film:

curing the additional quantity of the precursor of the dielectric elastomer material to form the elastomer-based film that encapsulates the electrically-conductive liquid film with elastomer-based composite.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the resistor is a component of a strain sensor or a pressure sensor of a wearable sensory garment.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printer directly prints the first and second liquid materials by actuating a first syringe that dispenses the first liquid material through a nozzle and then actuating a second syringe that dispenses the second liquid material through the nozzle.

15. A method of fabricating an elastic strain sensor of a wearable sensory garment, the method comprising:

providing a first liquid material that comprises a precursor of an electrically-conductive elastomer material and providing a second liquid material that comprises a precursor of a dielectric elastomer material;

printing a first quantity of the first liquid material on a fabric substrate of the wearable sensory garment, the first quantity of the first liquid material being printed with a three-dimensional printer that directly prints the first quantity of the first liquid material onto the fabric substrate so that a portion of the first liquid material infiltrates a surface region of the fabric substrate as a result of the first quantity of the first liquid material wicking through fibers of the fabric substrate;

curing the precursor of the electrically-conductive elastomer material of the first quantity of the first liquid material to form a solid matrix of an electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite electrode that comprises the matrix and the fabric substrate, wherein infiltration of the fabric substrate is such that the electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite electrode cannot be removed from the fabric substrate without tearing the electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite electrode or the fabric substrate;

printing the second liquid material on the electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite electrode with the three-dimensional printer;

curing the precursor of the dielectric elastomer material to form a dielectric elastomer-based film on the electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite;

printing an additional quantity of the first liquid material on the dielectric elastomer-based film with the three-dimensional printer; and then

curing the precursor of the electrically-conductive elastomer material of the additional quantity of the first liquid material to form an electrically-conductive elastomer-based film electrode;

wherein the electrically-conductive elastomer-based composite electrode, the electrically-conductive elastomer-based film electrode, and the dielectric elastomer-based film therebetween are elastically-deformable electrical components of a capacitor of the elastic strain sensor and elastically deform when the capacitor experiences strain of at least 50%.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional printer directly prints the first and second liquid materials by actuating a first syringe that dispenses the first liquid material through a nozzle and then actuating a second syringe that dispenses the second liquid material through the nozzle.