Encapsulating laser-induced graphene to enhance its electrical and mechanical properties

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dc.contributor.advisorPisana, Simone
dc.contributor.authorBayat, Fatemeh
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-10T10:54:23Z
dc.date.available2025-04-10T10:54:23Z
dc.date.copyright2024-12-19
dc.date.issued2025-04-10
dc.date.updated2025-04-10T10:54:23Z
dc.degree.disciplineElectrical and Computer Engineering
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMASc - Master of Applied Science
dc.description.abstractLaser-induced graphene (LIG) has emerged as a promising material in the field of printed electronics, offering excellent electrical conductivity and versatility. Its versatility stems from multiple factors: the potential for low-cost, facile, and rapid production without toxic chemicals (unlike traditional copper traces on printed circuit boards); the ability to be fabricated on various substrates; its customizable properties and its large surface area. However, the inherent fragility of its structure poses a significant challenge, as it can be easily damaged or removed even by touching or under mechanical forces, limiting its practical applications. While a few encapsulation techniques have been explored to enhance the mechanical robustness of LIG, they often result in a significant increase in electrical resistance, diminishing its conductivity to the point where it becomes impractical for use as conductive traces in printed electronics. In this study, we present a novel and facile approach to encapsulating LIG inscribed on a Kapton substrate while preserving the LIG's remarkable electrical properties. Through a simple and cost-effective encapsulation process involving controlled pressure application, we successfully limited the increase in resistance to just 5\% of the LIG’s original value. This optimal result was achieved with an applied pressure of 80 psi using a hydraulic press. The fabricated LIG exhibited a low initial sheet resistance of approximately 2.2 $\Omega/ \text{sq}$, making it a promising candidate for applications requiring this level of resistance. Our approach offers a straightforward solution to enhancing the mechanical robustness of LIG while maintaining its desirable electrical characteristics, potentially broadening its applicability in flexible electronics and related fields. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the encapsulated LIG. The results obtained from these analyses validate the efficacy of our encapsulation approach in preserving the desirable properties of LIG while enhancing its mechanical durability. The findings of this research open up new avenues for the practical implementation of LIG in various electronic devices and applications where mechanical robustness and high conductivity are essential requirements, such as flexible and wearable electronics and flexible interconnects for conformable electronic systems. Future research endeavors can focus on further optimizing the encapsulation process, exploring alternative substrate materials, and investigating the potential integration of encapsulated LIG into diverse electronic systems and components.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10315/42848
dc.languageen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subject.keywordsLaser-induced graphene
dc.subject.keywordsLIG
dc.subject.keywordsEncapsulation techniques
dc.subject.keywordsElectrical conductivity
dc.subject.keywordsMechanical robustness
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene applications
dc.subject.keywordsFlexible electronics
dc.subject.keywordsWearable technology
dc.subject.keywordsLaser scribing
dc.subject.keywordsKapton substrates
dc.subject.keywordsPrinted electronics
dc.subject.keywordsConductive materials
dc.subject.keywordsRaman spectroscopy
dc.subject.keywordsScanning electron microscopy (SEM)
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene structural analysis
dc.subject.keywordsMechanical stress on graphene
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene durability
dc.subject.keywordsPolyimide substrates
dc.subject.keywordsElectrical resistance
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene encapsulation
dc.subject.keywordsPressure-sensitive graphene
dc.subject.keywordsMechanical properties of graphene
dc.subject.keywordsSustainable electronic materials
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene-based sensors
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene for energy storage
dc.subject.keywordsFlexible electronic devices
dc.subject.keywordsThermal properties of graphene
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene manufacturing processes
dc.subject.keywordsSubstrate engineering for graphene
dc.subject.keywordsProtective coatings for graphene
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene innovation
dc.subject.keywordsGraphene research
dc.titleEncapsulating laser-induced graphene to enhance its electrical and mechanical properties
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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