Highly Stretchable Conductor Inspired by Compliant Mechanism

Abstract

Flexible and stretchable conductors have invaluable applications in multiple domains, such as sensors, displays, and electronic skins. The stable conductance exhibited by conductors when subjected to diverse forms of deformation, such as tensile stress, curvature, or torsion, represents a fundamental characteristic. Attaining high conductivity and stretchability simultaneously in conductive materials is a formidable challenge, owing to inherent constraints in materials found in nature. To overcome this problem, an innovative approach of structurally designing conductors using existing materials to achieve high deformability and stretchability, i.e. stretchable conductors inspired by a compliant mechanism is proposed in this paper. Thus, a novel stretchable conductor inspired by flexible mechanisms is introduced. Unlike stretchable conductors based on Kirigami structures, the stretchable conductor based on flexible mechanisms can achieve large in‐plane deformation within the material's strength limit. The concept and design process of the highly deformable stretchable conductor inspired by flexible mechanisms are presented in this paper. Experimental results show that the resistance change ratio of the conductor remains within 0.05% during the 0–200% strain process. The consistency and durability of the conductor during stretching deformation are also confirmed through 500 repetitions of the test. Additionally, the experiments with the electric motor and light‐emitting diode (LED) light confirm the conductor's ability to maintain a stable current.