DuPont Launches Breakthrough Ink Materials for Use in Smart Apparel

DuPont Microcircuit Materials has introduced a suite of stretchable electronic ink materials for use in smart clothing applications and other wearable electronics.  The materials provide manufacturing-ready alternatives to many traditional methods of embedding electronics in clothing, says the company.

The DuPont materials have been used to create thin, form-fitting circuits that can be seamlessly bonded with many standard fabrics, allowing for comfort and freedom in wearable electronic design. A working model of a biometric shirt that incorporates DuPont electronic inks was on display for the first time during Printed Electronics USA 2014, in Santa Clara, Calif.

“We believe that this new line of DuPont stretchable electronic inks can be used in wearable electronics applications to make clothing more capable and comfortable,” said Michael Burrows, segment manager, DuPont Microcircuit Materials.  “Imagine how smart athletic wear could help contribute to healthier, more active lifestyles by continuously monitoring vital information such as heart and breathing rates, calories burned and even stress level.”

DuPont stretchable electronic inks deliver stable performance despite repeated elongation, says the company, citing a third-party evaluation of fabrics that incorporate these DuPont materials to create thin electronic circuits. These tests “have shown them to be washable, durable, and capable of withstanding up to 100 wash cycles,” say company executives. “The new DuPont materials can be used in many common manufacturing processes to produce smart clothing, including fitness and outerwear, without significant investment.”

DuPont plans to offer a full material suite of conductors, encapsulants, and sensors for use in wearable electronics applications. The current line includes DuPont PE872 stretchable conductor, which is washable with encapsulation, and DuPont PE772 stretchable, washable dielectric encapsulant.

The growing portfolio of DuPont MCM electronic inks is used in many applications, including forming conductive traces, capacitor and resistor elements, and dielectric and encapsulating layers that are compatible with many substrate surfaces including polymer, glass and ceramic.