Abstract
This thesis investigates multifunctional self-healing and shape-adaptive soft electronic materials based on dynamic polymers with complementary mechanical and functional roles. Conventional soft electronic systems often suffer from mechanical damage, interfacial delamination, and loss of electrical performance during deformation or fracture. Although self-healing polymers can restore structural integrity, material healing does not necessarily ensure device-level functional recovery, particularly in multilayer systems where conductive pathway continuity and interfacial alignment are critical. To address this challenge, several dynamic polymer systems, including PDMS-HB, PPG-HB, PFPE-HDI, and PPG-MPU, were synthesized and processed into soft films and conductive composites. Carbon black and silver flakes were incorporated as conductive fillers to tune electrical properties. The effects of polymer matrix, filler type, and filler loading on conductivity, mechanical behavior, and processability were systematically studied through film fabrication, electrical characterization, and mechanical testing. Layered conductive samples were further prepared to examine structural and electrical recovery after deformation and damage. The results show that electrical performance in these materials is strongly governed by conductive network formation and its evolution during deformation and thermal healing. While higher filler loading can improve conductivity, it can also compromise film integrity and mechanical compliance depending on the polymer matrix and filler morphology. In multilayer structures, recovery of device function requires not only healing of the polymer layers but also re-establishment of conductive pathways across damaged regions. Overall, this work provides a materials-level basis for the design of self-healing soft electronic systems in which conductivity, mechanical compliance, and post-damage recoverability must be achieved simultaneously
Committee Chair
Christopher Cooper
Committee Members
Chuan Wang, Xianglin Li
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Author's Department
Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
Spring 5-6-2026
Language
English (en)
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4824-110X
Recommended Citation
Zhao, Sirui, "Multifunctional Self-Healing and Shape-Adaptive Soft Electronics Based on Immiscible Dynamic Polymers" (2026). McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations. 1357.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/1357
Included in
Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing Commons, Polymer and Organic Materials Commons, Polymer Science Commons