Wearable Electronics Lab

We are a cross-disciplinary research lab at UMass Amherst
producing emergent electronic technologies on unconventional substrates
using vapor deposition methods to acheive unmatched flexibility in device architectures, product assembly and manufacturing routines.

Our Research

Monolithically-Integrated Textile Electronics

Unlike conventional substrates, such as glass, PET or paper, textiles are 3D microscaffolds displaying roughness and texture on multiple length scales.


Conformal coating techniques are integral for directly growing nanostructured devices from textile substrates.
We perform a small variety of vapor phase polymerization reactions to create films of conjugated polymers inside a reduced-pressure hot wall reactor.
One such example is the oxidative chemical vapor polymerization of EDOT to create PEDOT.


This process creates stable, conformal films of a conducting polymer--PEDOT, in this case-- on arbitrary substrates, including various prewoven textiles.



We use this vapor-phase deposition method to transform ordinary textiles into functional electronic devices. Our approach also minimizes the tremendous water pollution caused by traditional textile processing.
Some of our products are described below.

Textile/Thread Circuit Elements

We create highly-conductive fabrics and threads that are capable of acting as simple circuit elements while also being stable to wearing, laundering, ironing, stretching/tugging and rubbing.

Activity-Tracking, Triboelectric Textiles

We use traditional textile manufacturing methods, such as knitting and weaving, to create fabric swatches that harvest mechanical energy to generate power!

Vapor Phase Organic Chemistry

A suite of vapor-phase polymerization reactions performed inside a reduced-pressure hot wall reactor, collectively termed xCVD, are the enabling methods we use to build novel devices. In xCVD, films are formed directly on the substrate of interest as vapors of a chemical agent and precursor (or monomer) are introduced into an evacuated reactor chamber simultaneously, whereupon a polymer is formed in situ that subsequently coats arbitrary substrates placed in the polymerization region. This method allows for conformal coating of rough surfaces, with features resolvable down to 100-200 nm. The modularity of this technique ensures that careful monomer choice will lead to the in situ film growth of a host of conductive polymers displaying varied optoelectronic properties.

Our current toolbox of xCVD reactions enable the fabrication of chemically well-defined thin films of p-doped PEDOT and proDOT, neutral poly(thiophene)s and poly(aniline)s onto arbitrary substrates with micro- and nano-scale features. We are working to expand our xCVD toolbox to include n-type conjugated polymer films and conductive polyradical films. Vapor phase chemical deposition of both metallic and semiconducting conjugated polymer and polyradical films are actively being explored.

Tuning the Optoelectronic Properties of Organic Crystals Using Graphene

Crystal orientation in organic thin films is one of the key parameters that determines interfacial energetics, absorption profiles and cross sections, exciton diffusion lengths, exciton dissociation efficiencies, and charge collection efficiencies. We use monolayer graphene to direct the crystal orientation of selected planar organic molecules, including p-type and n-type small-molecule semiconductors.

Lying-down orientation with π-stacking normal to the surface can be achieved with graphene templating. Additionally, graphene controls the out-of-plane alignment of all the molecules studied past the first monolayer and provides a driving force for confined in-plane growth.

Significant excitonic and electronic changes, including huge modulations in absorption profiles, total %light absorbed, Fermi levels, band edge values and CT state energies can be observed in the graphene-templated films, relative to films grown on oxide surfaces. Such changes can potentially increase the theoretical Voc expected for photovoltaic devices incorporating these templated films.

Transparent Organic Photovoltaic Devices and Flexible, Large-Area Arrays

Subdiffraction Optical Lithography Enabled by Photochromes

Currently, nanomanufacturing is achieved via fast pattern-replication (nanoimprint lithography, optical-projection lithography, etc.) and is stymied by extremely slow pattern generation (scanning-electron-beam lithography). In other words, the time it takes to generate a new pattern is orders of magnitude longer than what it takes to simply replicate one.

Light offers significant advantages over charged particles for pattern generation. However, it suffers from one Achilles heel - diffraction. In the far field, the smallest focused spot that can be generated with light is limited to approximately half the wavelength.This, so called far-field diffraction limit or the Abbé limit, effectively prevents the use of long-wavelength photons (greater than 300nm) from patterning nanostructures less than 100 nm.

We have shown that optics, when combined with novel photochemistry, can result in deep sub-wavelength patterning with speeds that are far higher than with conventional approaches.

Our idea is to record the nanoscale pattern in an ultra-thin or monolayer film comprised of photochromic molecules. These molecules undergo photoswitching between two isomeric forms, A and B. When isomer A absorbs a photon of wavelength 1, it turns into isomer B. When B absorbs photon of wavelength 2, it turns back to A. The binary nature of the switching process ensures that sub-diffraction-limited regions of B interspersed in A are formed.

In addition, we design the photochromic molecules such that B can be selectively converted in an irreversible manner to form C via a “locking” step, which allows us to create 3D patterns. These advances in pattern generation, when combined with continuous replication technologies such as roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography can enable a new paradigm in high throughput top-down nanomanufacturing. In other words, organic photochromes can change the traditional process flow currently used to manufacture electronics!

Our Sponsors

Our Publications

2019
A Wearable All-Fabric Thermoelectric Generator Linden K. Allison, Trisha L. Andrew* Advanced Materials Technologies 2019, 4, 1800615. DOI:10.1002/admt.201800615. PDF UMass Amherst Press Release IEEE Spectrum Magazine Article
Vapor-Printed Polymer Electrodes for Long-Term, On-Demand Health Monitoring Jae Joon Kim, Linden K. Allison, Trisha L. Andrew* Science 2019, 5, eaaw0463. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.eaaw0463. PDF
A Vapor Printed Electron-Accepting Conjugated Polymer for Textile Optoelectronics David Bilger, Kwang-Won Park, Trisha L. Andrew* Synthetic Metals 2019, 250, 1-6. DOI:10.1016/j.synthmet.2019.02.005 PDF
Solvent-Free Reactive Vapor Deposition for Functional Fabrics: Separating Oil-Water Mixtures with Fabrics Nongyi Cheng, Kwang-Won Park, Trisha L. Andrew* Fibers 2019, 7, 2. PDF
2018
High Energy Density, Super-Deformable, Garment-Integrated Microsupercapacitors for Powering Wearable Electronics Lushuai Zhang, Wesley Viola, Trisha L. Andrew* ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2018, 10, 36834-36840. DOI:10.1021/acsami.8b08408. PDF UMass Amherst Press Release Market Business News Material District Highlight Correio Braziliense Science and Technology Highlight
Using the Surface Features of Plant Matter to Create All-Polymer Pseudocapacitors with High Areal Capacitance Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew* ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2018, 10, 38574-38580. DOI:10.1021/acsami.8b12551. PDF Read the C&EN Story highlighting this work.
Fabric as a Sensor: Towards Unobtrusive Sensing of Human Behavior with Triboelectric Textiles Ali Kiaghadi, Morgan Baima, Jeremy Gummeson, Trisha L. Andrew,* Deepak Ganesan* The 16th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems (SenSys ’18), November 4–7, 2018, Shenzhen, China. ACM: New York, NY, USA. DOI:10.1145/3274783.3274845. PDF
Fluoropolymer-Wrapped Conductive Threads for Textile Touch Sensors Operating via the Triboelectric Effect Morgan Baima, Trisha L. Andrew* Fibers 2018, 6, 41. PDF
Vapor‐Coated Monofilament Fibers for Embroidered Electrochemical Transistor Arrays on Fabrics Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew* Advanced Electronic Materials 2018, 4, 1800271. PDF
Melding Vapor Phase Organic Chemistry and Textile Manufacturing to Produce Wearable Electronics Trisha L. Andrew,* Lushuai Zhang, Nongyi Cheng, Morgan Baima, Jae Joon Kim, Linden Allison, Steven Hoxie Accounts of Chemical Research 2018, 51, 850-859. PDF
Reactive Vapor Deposition of Conjugated Polymer Films on Arbitrary Substrates Nongyi Cheng, Trisha L. Andrew* Journal of Visual Experiments 2018, 131, e56775. Learn How to Replicate our Deposition Process
2017
Transforming Commercial Textiles and Threads into Sewable and Weavable Electric Heaters Lushuai Zhang, Morgan Baima, Trisha L. Andrew* ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2017, 9, 32299-32307. DOI:10.1021/acsami.7b10514. PDF
Rugged Textile Electrodes for Wearable Devices Obtained by Vapor Coating Off-the-Shelf Plain-Woven Fabrics Lushuai Zhang, Marianne Fairbanks, Trisha L. Andrew* Advanced Materials 2017, 27, 1700415. DOI:10.1002/adfm.201700415. PDF Read the Advanced Science News Highlight Read the UMass Amherst Research Spotlight Read the Research Next Feature on our work
Vapor Phase Organic Chemistry to Deposit Conjugated Polymer Films on Arbitrary Substrates Nongyi Cheng, Lushuai Zhang, Jae Joon Kim, Trisha L. Andrew* Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2017, 5, 5787-5796. DOI:10.1039/C7TC00293A. PDF
Towards Seamlessly-Integrated Textile Electronics: Methods to Coat Fabrics and Fibers with Conducting Polymers for Electronic Applications Linden K. Allison, Steven Hoxie, Trisha L. Andrew* Chemical Communications 2017, 53, 7182-7193. DOI:10.1039/C7CC02592K. PDF
Deposition Dependent Ion Transport in Doped Conjugated Polymer Films: Insights for Creating High-Performance Electrochemical Devices Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew* Advanced Materials Interfaces 2017, 1700873 DOI:10.1002/admi.201700873. PDF
Integrating a Semitransparent, Fullerene-Free Organic Solar Cell in Tandem with a BiVO4 Photoanode for Unassisted Solar Water Splitting Yuelin Peng, Gokul Govindaraju, Dong Ki Lee, Kyoung-Shin Choi,* Trisha L. Andrew* ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2017, 9, 22449-22455. DOI:10.1021/acsami.7b04486. PDF
ITO-Free Transparent Organic Solar Cell with Distributed Bragg Reflector for Solar Harvesting Windows Yuelin Peng, Lushuai Zhang, Nongyi Cheng, Trisha L. Andrew* Energies 2017, 10, 707. DOI:10.3390/en10050707. PDF Read the Research Spotlight on Dr. Yuelin Peng's work
Origin of High Open-Circuit Voltage in a Planar Heterojunction Solar Cell Containing a Non-Fullerene Acceptor Nongyi Cheng, Yuelin Peng, Trisha L. Andrew* Applied Physics Letters 2017, 111, 133901. DOI:10.1063/1.4997502. PDF
Triplet Exciton Dissociation and Electron Extraction in Graphene-Templated Pentacene Observed with Utrafast Spectroscopy Thomas J. McDonough, Lushuai Zhang, Susmit Singha Roy, Nicholas M. Kearns, Michael S. Arnold, Martin Zanni*, Trisha L. Andrew Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2017, 19, 4809-4820. DOI:10.1039/C6CP06454J. PDF
Anomalous Paramagnetism in Closed-Shell Molecular Semiconductors Gregory P. Eyer, Kevin R. Kittilstved, Trisha L. Andrew* Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2017, 121, 24929-24935. DOI:10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b07270. PDF
Synthesis and Properties of Dithiocarbamate-Linked Acenes Jingjing Zhang, Nicholas R. Myllenbeck, Trisha L. Andrew* Organic Letters 2017, 19, 210-213. DOI:10.1021/acs.orglett.6b03492. PDF
2016
All-Textile Triboelectric Generator Compatible with Traditional Textile Process Lushuai Zhang, Yanhao Yu, Gregory P. Eyer, Guoquan Suo, Liz Anna Kozik, Marianne Fairbanks, Xudong Wang, Trisha L. Andrew* Advanced Materials Technologies 2016, 1600147. PDF
Orientation Control of Selected Organic Semiconductor Crystals Achieved by Monolayer Graphene Templates Lushuai Zhang, Susmit Singha Roy, Nathaniel S. Safron, Melinda J. Shearer, Robert M. Jacobberger, Vivek Saraswat, Robert J. Hamers, Michael S. Arnold, Trisha L. Andrew* Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2016, 1600621. PDF
Improved Photovoltaic Response of a Near-Infrared Sensitive Solar Cell by a Morphology-Controlling Seed Layer Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew* Org. Electron. 2016, 33, 135-141. PDF
Color-Pure Violet-Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Layered Lead Halide Perovskite Nanoplates Dong Liang, Yuelin Peng, Yongping Fu, Melinda J. Shearer, Jingjing Zhang, Jianyuan Zhai, Yi Zhang, Robert J. Hamers, Trisha L. Andrew*, Song Jin* ACS Nano 2016, 10, 6897-6904. PDF
Reverse-Absorbance-Modulation-Optical Lithography for Optical Nanopatterning at Low Light Levels Apratim Majumder, Xiaowen Wan, Farhana Masid, Benjamin J. Pollock, Trisha L. Andrew*, Olivier Soppera, Rajesh Menon* AIP Adv. 2016, 6, 065312. PDF
A Comprehensive Simulation Model of the Performance of Photochromic Films in Absorbance-Modulation-Optical-Lithography Apratim Majumder, Phillip L. Helms, Trisha L. Andrew*, Rajesh Menon* AIP Adv. 2016, 6, 035210. PDF
2015
Molecular Orientation-Dependent Interfacial Energetics and Built-in Voltage Tuned by a Template Graphene Monolayer Lushuai Zhang, Susmit Singha Roy, Robert J. Hamers, Michael S. Arnold, Trisha L. Andrew* J. Phys. Chem. C 2015, 119, 45-54. PDF
Restricting the Ψ Torsion Angle Has Stereoelectronic Consequences on a Scissile Bond: An Electronic Structure Analysis Eric R. Strieter* and Trisha L. Andrew* Biochemistry 2015, 54, 5748-5756. PDF
Barrier-Free Absorbance Modulation for Super-Resolution Optical Lithography Apratim Majumder, Farhana Masid, Benjamin J. Pollock, Trisha L. Andrew*, Rajesh Menon* Opt. Express 2015, 23, 12244-12250. PDF
Development of Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells Using Three-Dimensional Titanium Dioxide Nanowire Architectures Yanhao Yu, Jianye Li, Dalong Geng, Jialiang Wang, Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew, Michael S. Arnold, Xudong Wang* ACS Nano 2015, 9, 564-572. PDF
Observing Electron Extraction by Monolayer Graphene Using Time-Resolved Surface Photoresponse Measurements Lushuai Zhang, Susmit Singha Roy, Caroline R. English, Robert J. Hamers, Michael S. Arnold, Trisha L. Andrew* ACS Nano 2015, 9, 2510-2517. PDF
2014
High Open-Circuit Voltage, High Fill Factor Single-Junction Organic Solar Cells Yuelin Peng, Lushuai Zhang, Trisha L. Andrew* Appl. Phys. Lett. 2014, 105, 083304. PDF
Patterning via Optical Saturable Transitions - Fabrication and Characterization Precious Cantu, Trisha L. Andrew* Rajesh Menon* J. Vis. Exp. 2014, 94, e52449. Link
Patterning via Optical-Saturable Transformations: A Review and Simple Simulation Model Precious Cantu, Trisha L. Andrew* Rajesh Menon* Appl. Phys. Lett. 2014, 105, 193105. PDF
2013
Effect of Synthetic Accessibility on the Commercial Viability of Organic Photovoltaics Timothy P. Osedach*, Trisha L. Andrew,* Vladimir Bulovic Energy Environ. Sci. 2013, 6, 711-718. PDF
Nanopatterning of Diarylethene Films via Selective Dissolution of One Photoisomer Precious Cantu, Trisha L. Andrew* Rajesh Menon* Appl. Phys. Lett. 2013, 103, 173112. PDF
Optical Patterning of Features with Spacing Below the Far-Field Diffraction Limit Using Absorbance Modulation Farhana Masid, Trisha L. Andrew* Rajesh Menon* Optics Express 2013, 21, 5209-5214. PDF
Cyclobutadiene-C60 Adducts:  N-type Materials for Organic Photovoltaic Cells with High VOC Grace Han, William Collins, Trisha L. Andrew, Vladimir Bulovic, Timothy. M. Swager* Adv. Funct. Mater., 2013, 23, 3061-3069. PDF
Light-Recycling Within Electronic Displays Using Deep Red and Near Infrared Photoluminescent Polarizers Menendez-Velazquez, A.; Mulder, C. L.; Thompson, N. J.; Reusswig, P. D.; Andrew, T. L.; Rotschild, C.; Baldo, M. A. Energy Environ. Sci. 2013, 6, 72-75. PDF
Postdoctoral and Graduate Research Publications
Andrew, T. L.; Lobez, J. M. L.; Bulovic, V.; Swager, T. M. “Improving the Performance of P3HT-Fullerene Solar Cells with Side-Chain-Functionalized Poly(thiophene) Additives:  A New Paradigm for Polymer Design” ACS Nano, 2012, 6, 3044-3056.
Paydavosi, S.; Yaul, F.; Wang, A. I.; Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V.; Lang, J. H. “MEMS Switches Employing Active Metal-Polymer Nanocomposites” IEEE 25th International Conference on MEMS 2012, 180-183.
Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V. “Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Containing 6,6-Dicyanofulvenes as n-Type Additives” ACS Nano, 2012, 6, 4671-4677.
Takeda, Y.; Andrew, T. L.; Lobez, J. M.; Mork, A. J.; Swager, T. M. “An Air-Stable Low-Bandgap n-Type Polymer Semiconductor Exhibiting Selective Solubility in Perfluorinated Solvents” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 9042-9046. PDF
Osedach, T. P.; Iacchetti, A.; Lunt, R. R.; Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V. “Near-infrared photodetector consisting of J-aggregating cyanine dye and metal oxide thin films” Appl. Phys. Lett. 2012, 101, 113303.
Osedach, T. P.; Zhao, N.; Andrew, T. L.; Bawendi, M. G.; Bulovic, V. “Bias-Stress Effect in 1,2-Ethanedithiol-Treated PbS Quantum Dot Field-Effect Transistors” ACS Nano, 2012, 6, 3121-3127.
Cantu, P.; Brimhall, N.; Andrew, T. L.; Menon, R. Subwavelength nanopatterning of photochromic diarylethene films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2012, 100, 183103.
Brimhall, N.; Andrew, T. L.; Manthena, R. V.; Menon, R. Breaking the Far-Field Diffraction Limit in Optical Nanopatterning via Repeated Photochemical and Electrochemical Transistions in Photochromic Molecules. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2011, 107, 205501. PDF Read the ARS Technica about this paper.
Rotschild, C.; Tomes, M.; Mendoza, H.; Andrew, T. L.; Swager, T. M.; Carmon, T.; Baldo, M. A. Cascaded Energy Transfer for Efficient Broad-Band Pumping of High-Quality Micro-Lasers Adv. Mater. 2011, 23, 3057-3060. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; Swager, T. M. Selective Detection of High Explosives Via Photolytic Cleavage of Nitroesters and Nitramines. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 2976-2993. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; Swager, T. M. Thermally-polymerized rylene nanoparticles. Macromolecules, 2011, 44, 2276-2281. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; Swager, T. M. Structure Property Relationships for Exciton Transfer in Conjugated Polymers. J. Polym. Sci. B, 2011, 49, 476-498. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; VanVeller, B.; Swager, T. M. The Synthesis of Azaperylene-9,10-dicarboximides. Synlett, 2010, 3045-3048. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; Cox, J. R.; Swager, T. M. Synthesis, Reactivity, and Electronic Properties of 6,6-Dicyanofulvenes. Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 5302-5305. PDF
Levine, M.; Song, I.; Andrew, T. L.; Kooi, S. E.; Swager, T. M. Photoluminescent energy transfer from poly(phenyleneethynylene)s to near-infrared emitting fluorophores. J. Polym. Sci. A, 2010, 48, 3382-3391. PDF
Andrew, T. L.; Tsai, H.-Y.; Menon, R. Confining Light to Deep Subwavelength Dimensions to Enable Optical Nanopatterning. Science, 2009, 324, 917-921. PDF Read the MIT EECS Research Highlight about this paper.
Moslin, R. M.; Andrew, T. L.; Kooi, S. E.; Swager, T. M. Anionic Oxidative Polymerization: The Synthesis of Poly(phenylenedicyanovinylene) (PPCN2V). J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 20-21. PDF
Andrew, T. L. and Swager, T. M. A Fluorescence Turn-On Mechanism to Detect the High Explosives RDX and PETN. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 7254-7255. PDF Read the Technology Review coverage of this work.
Andrew, T. L. and Swager, T. M. Reduced Photobleaching of Conjugated Polymer Films Through Small Molecule Additives. Macromolecules, 2008, 41, 8306-8308. PDF

Patents

Andrew, T. L.; Fairbanks, M. Conductive Textiles.

Andrew, T. L.; Zhang, L. Polymeric Capacitors for Energy Storage Devices.

Bulovic, V.; Lang, J. H.; Lee, H. S.; Swager, T. M.; Andrew, T. L. D'Asaro, M. E.; Deotare, P.; Murarka, A.; Niroui, F.; Sletten, E.; Wang, A. I-J. Electromechanical device with reduced energy loss and flucuation due to temperature change.

Swager, T.M.; Bulovic, V.; Han, G.D.; Andrew, T. L. Functionalized nanostructures and related devices.

Swager, T.M.; Andrew, T. L. Detection of analytes using nitro-containing analytes.

Swager, T. M.; Andrew, T. L.; Thomas, S. W. III; Bouffard, J. Determination of Explosives Including RDX.

Swager, T. M.; Andrew, T. L. Stabilizing Agents for Prevention of Photobleaching.

Swager, T. M.; Andrew, T. L. Determination of Explosives via Photolytic Cleavage of Nitramines and Nitroesters.

Swager, T. M.; Lobez, J. M.; Wang, F.; Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V. Side-Chain Functionalized Polymer Surfactants to Decrease Charge Recombination in Solar Cells.

Swager, T. M.; Andrew, T. L. ; Bulovic, V. 6,6-Dicyanofulvenes as Fullerene Substitutes in Bulk Heterojunction Soalr Cells.

Paydavosi, S.; Wang, A. I.; Niroui, F.; Yaul, F.; Murarka, A. Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V.; Lang, J. Electronically Controlled Squishable Composite Switch.

Swager, T. M.; Han, G.; Collins, W.; Andrew, T. L.; Bulovic, V.;Cyclobutadiene-C60 adducts as N-type materials for photovoltaic devices.