Sci. Rep.: Fabrication of a Novel Structured Luminescent Flexible Fiber via Aerosol Jet Printing
Product Introduction
Equipment Parameters
I. Abstract of the Paper’s Core Research
- A leapfrog improvement in luminescent performance
The AJP‑fabricated fiber coating exhibits a continuous micro‑nanoscale spherical structure, with higher crystallinity and fewer lattice defects. Its luminescence intensity is twice that of the conventional immersion method, and it delivers excellent color purity in the 612 nm red emission region.
- Superior flexibility and mechanical durability
After PDMS encapsulation, the device withstands 250 cyclic bending cycles while maintaining 80% of its initial luminous efficiency; in contrast, under the same bending conditions, the device subjected to an immersion process retains only 37% of its initial brightness, and the coating readily cracks and delaminates.
- Excellent stability in human sweat
After being immersed in simulated sweat for 3 hours, the aerosol‑emitting fiber still retains 90% of its luminescence intensity. Following PDMS encapsulation, the contact angle reaches 114°, with the hydrophobic barrier effectively isolating the luminescent layer from sweat corrosion.
- Minimalist Low-Temperature Complete Process System
Only five aerosol‑printing cycles are required, with a sintering temperature as low as 500 °C; the entire process eliminates the need for complex sol–gel reactions or prolonged soaking. The nozzle’s helical path is tailored to ensure uniform coating on the curved surface of cylindrical fibers.
- Textile Practicality Verification
The luminescent fibers can be seamlessly woven into a variety of fabric patterns, emitting uniform light under UV illumination with no visible bright or dark spots, making them suitable for diverse textile applications in decoration, security, and anti-counterfeiting.
II. Working Principle of Aerosol Jet–Based Fiber Fabrication and Core Process Advantages
(1) Complete AJP Fiber Deposition Process
- Substrate Pre-treatment : Alcohol cleaning of the fibers, followed by vacuum plasma activation to enhance surface wettability;
- Ultrasonic atomization: 1.7 MHz ultrasound breaks the rare-earth precursor solution into micron-sized droplets, with nitrogen carrier gas flowing at 110 sccm.
- Coaxial sheath gas confinement: a 130 sccm nitrogen outer flow focuses the spray plume, with a 30 μm narrow nozzle for precise and controllable deposition.
- Curved-surface helical printing: the fiber rotates at a constant speed (5 rpm), while the print head moves linearly, tracing a 360° helical path that fully wraps around the cylindrical fiber.
- Multilayer cyclic deposition: Five printing cycles are used to build a continuous luminescent precursor film, which is then sintered at low temperature to yield Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ crystals.
- PDMS is dip-coated and cured to form a hydrophobic protective layer.
(II) Five Unique Technological Advantages (Compared with Immersion, Sol–Gel, and Solid-State Methods)
- 360° curved surface with uniform coverage
Soaking results in adsorption only on the surface layer, with uneven coating thickness on the fiber’s interior; aerosol‑based non‑contact helical printing ensures uniform circumferential coating thickness along the entire fiber, eliminating localized areas of insufficient coverage.
- Dense composite coating based on micro‑ and nanospheres, with adhesion at its maximum.
Mist droplets accumulate layer by layer to form an interwoven network of spherical particles, which can buffer stress during bending, making the coating less prone to cracking and addressing the common drawback of traditional flaky coatings—easy delamination.
- Short process, low consumable usage, high production efficiency
Immersion requires a 2-hour long adsorption process, while aerosol-based single-fiber printing can be completed in just a few minutes. Ink consumption is extremely low, with no significant waste liquid generated, making it environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
- Low-temperature processing is compatible with various flexible fibers.
Sintering can be carried out at as low as 500°C, enabling the processing of a wide range of fiber substrates—including glass fiber, polyester, and cotton—without being constrained by ultra-high-temperature processes.
- Digitally controllable coating thickness
Print cycle count, nozzle speed, and fiber rotation speed are freely adjustable, enabling precise control of the emissive layer thickness and on-demand brightness customization.
III. Key Technological Innovations of This Study
Innovation 1: Cylindrical Fiber Helical Aerosol Printing Architecture
Innovative Controllable Fabrication of Micro- and Nanoscale Spherical Luminescent Coatings
Innovation: 3–plasma pre-treatment combined with low-temperature sintering for synergistic crystal growth enhancement.
Innovative 4-in-1 PDMS-based hydrophobic encapsulation system
Innovative 5 AJP Fully Standardized Rare-Earth Fiber Production Line
IV. Existing Process Challenges and Corresponding Solutions for Overcoming Them
Challenge 1: Unilateral deposition of cylindrical fibers, with coating defects on the inner surface and uneven luminescence.
Challenge 2: Traditional immersion‑coated sheet‑like coatings crack upon bending, leading to rapid luminance decay.
Challenge 3: Sweat and moisture corrode the rare-earth crystals, causing a continuous decline in brightness.
Challenge 4: High-temperature sintering can easily damage organic flexible fibers.
Challenge 5: Atomization causes the spray plume to diverge, and there is a significant variation in coating thickness between the two ends of the fiber.
V. Prospects for Diversified Industrial Applications
1. Smart Luminescent Wearable Textiles
2. Security Warning Fabric
3. Anti-counterfeiting special textile fabric
4. Flexible Fiber-Optic Sensing Materials
5. Interior Soft Furnishings and Artistic Fabrics
Figure 1. Process for fabricating luminescent optical fibers via the AJP method.
Figure 2. (a, b) Low‑ and high‑magnification micrographs of the optical fibers prepared by the AJP method; (c, d) Low‑ and high‑magnification micrographs of the optical fibers prepared by the IA method; (e, f) Excitation and emission spectra of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor; (g) XRD comparison of the phosphors synthesized by the two methods; (h, i) Hydrophobicity test results for luminescent optical fibers with and without a PDMS coating; (j, k) Excitation and emission spectra of luminescent optical fibers with and without a PDMS coating.
Figure 3. (a–d) Changes in luminescence intensity of optical fibers fabricated by the AJP and IA methods during bending cycles. (e, f) Environmental stability: Correlation between immersion time in simulated sweat and luminescence intensity for AJP‑fabricated fibers. (g–j) Weaving versatility of luminescent fiber fabrics and their fluorescence emission patterns under UV illumination.
Table 1. Luminescence intensity values of fibers prepared by the AJP and IA methods at different numbers of bending cycles.
Table 2. Luminescence intensity values at different soaking times during simulated sweating
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