Stiff or Extensible in Seconds: Light‐Induced Corrugations in Thin Polymer Sheets

• DOI: 10.1002/admt.202000789
• Publication Date: 2020-11-20T21:34:59Z
• Authors: Amber M. Hubbard; Jay Kalpesh Patel; Sigurd Wagner; Chih‐Hao Chang; Jan Genzer; Michael D. Dickey
• Keywords: Extensibility; Shrinkage

Abstract Corrugations can dramatically change the effective mechanical properties of a thin sheet. Such alternating ridges and grooves are typically fabricated by processing. Herein, ability to trigger tune corrugations within ( ≈ 300 µ m thick) thermoplastic sheets rapidly seconds) using only light is reported. Patterns black ink on otherwise transparent, flimsy sheet preferentially adsorb external IR light, inducing localized heating underlying polymer. This causes shrinkage polymer, producing folds in sheets; collectively, these result controlled geometry. Depending orientation, increase stiffness or extensibility, similar corrugated roofs (stiff) accordions (extensible). In direction parallel folds, maximum load‐carrying capacity increases two orders magnitude relative non‐corrugated sheet; perpendicular modulus decreases four magnitude. addition tuning properties, corrugate flat surfaces has implications for assembling 3D objects from substrates printed 2D (such as lithographically patterned electronics) structures shipped state. process forming such discussed their characterized.