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62 The PCB Magazine • June 2015 even when stretched numerous times, as will likely be required in numerous future applica- tions. The new material excels in this regard, shown in Figure 2. The mechanical and thermal properties of the new material are superior in many impor- Figure 1: a cornerstone feature of any viable stretchable material is its ability to return to zero after stretching as shown on the left. as can be seen in the right-hand image, thermoplastic materials have a very limited range of elasticity, severely limiting its use in stretchable applications and beyond which the material plastically deforms. Figure 2: consistency in material performance over multiple cycles of stretching is an important feature of the new material. NOVEL HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUBSTRATE FOR STRETCHABLE ELECTRONICS continues FeAtuRe