Britt Cordwener successfully defended her PhD Thesis.

Britt Cordewener defended her PhD thesis for the Department of Mechanical Engineering on May 6th.

There’s a big demand for flexible, stretchable and cost-effective electronic devices in this digital era. In response, (3D) printed electronics have gained significant momentum, enabling the fabrication of lightweight, customizable devices with embedded circuitry in a single production process. Though, key challenges such as the reliability of conductive interconnects prevent printed electronics from widespread adoption. Under mechanical strain, microscopic cracks can form within these materials, disrupting electrical conductivity and leading to premature device failure. Britt Cordewener presents a novel numerical framework within her PhD research to predict how cracks initiate and propagate in sintered conductive materials and how they contribute to increasing electrical resistance. This knowledge can be used to improve durability and ensure long-term functionality of printed and flexible electronics.

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Read more about the project LEE-BED-H2020