Thermal imaging of an athlete

Championing Elite Performance: WCPC printed wearable heaters at Tokyo Olympics

At the Tokyo Olympics, top British medal winners were supported by an innovative wearable technology developed by WCPC: a new class of stretchable printed wearable heaters, designed to maintain muscle temperature, and thus support performance. This pioneering technology represents a significant stride in the field of sport performance improvement. The technology was collaboratively implemented by WCPC and A-STEM with support by English Institute of Sport (EIS), Haydale, Screentec and Newbury Electronics.WCPC web page

By overcoming technical challenges such as garment weight, washability, and battery operation, this achievement paves the way for future leaps in the integration of technology and elite sports.

 

Food packaging

Revolutionising Food Packaging: new pad-less tray technology​

A new technology has been developed to enhance liquid retention in plastic food packaging. Centred around modified capillary recesses, it offers an effective solution for isolating meat exudate, a key factor in limiting shelf life. By increasing the retention capacity of meat trays, it contributes to reducing food waste and extending food longevity. The technology eliminates the need for traditional un-recyclable absorbent materials, ensuring that the packaging can be fully recycled. ​

WCPC web page

Developed in collaboration with Klockner Pentaplast, the technology is commercialised under the name Zapora™ . This innovation, which represents a significant stride in environmentally-conscious food packaging, has been internationally recognised, winning leading sector awards and object of a BBC news article.

Electronic device

Hybrid Electronics: pioneering Printed-Sensor-on-Chip Devices via Aerosol Jet Deposition​

An innovative approach employing aerosol jet deposition (AJD) to print sensors directly onto pre-packaged integrated circuits (ICs) was developed at WCPC, thereby integrating printed and silicon electronics. This approach was demonstrated by fabricating a humidity sensor onto an analogue-to-digital converter, introducing the concept of Printed-Sensor-on-Chip devices (doi:10.1016/j.snb.2017.08.086). This breakthrough in electronics manufacturing reduces device footprint through vertical integration, while also providing opportunities for customization. By overcoming challenges with non-conformal surfaces and complex topographies, the AJD process shows great potential for broader sensor technology applications.

Microscope detail of ink

Tuning Ink formulation for conductivity and printability: the case for graphite and carbon black ratios​

WCPC researchers examined the effects of varying graphite and carbon black ratios on conductive ink performance. By formulating and printing screen printable carbon inks, the impact on rheology, deposition, and conductivity was studied. The findings revealed that optimal conductivity was achieved with a specific optimum graphite to carbon black ratio (achieving 0.029 Ω·cm), demonstrating the existence of a unique sweet spot (doi:10.1007/s10853-017-1114-6). The work underlines the importance of the focus on accurate formulation performed at WCPC, opening avenues for further customization of conductive inks for various applications like energy storage and printed heaters, circuits, textiles.