Recent Advances in Stretchable and Transparent Electronic Materials

Abstract

Recent technological advances have made a myriad of soft and flexible electronic devices possible. The essential materials behind many of these devices and systems are electrical conductors that are compliant and retain their conductivity at high strain deformation. These so-called "compliant conductors" are the class of materials that enable stretchable and flexible electrodes, interconnects, and other components utilized in soft electronics. Creating conductors with high compliance, conductivity, and transparency is not a trivial matter, since these properties are often mutually exclusive. Furthermore, engineering reliable compliant conductors with a desired set of properties that remain fairly unchanged over long service lifetimes is an additional criterion that merits careful attention. These challenges have been addressed through at least two primary approaches. The first has been to create conducting composites that are intrinsically stretchable, typically by filling elastomers with conductive particles, or by depositing conductive particles on or just beneath the surface of elastomers. The second strategy has been to build conducting structures capable of reversible bending or stretching. In this review, the key research efforts toward the development of compliant conductors, including transparent conductors, are surveyed for application in flexible and highly stretchable electronic and electromechanical devices.

Inkjet printing of carbon black electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators

“…DEA electrodes must be conductive, compliant, and robust. To operate in the kilo-hertz range the equivalent electrode resistance should not exceed 1MΩ 1 ; the product of thickness and elastic modulus of the electrode should be less than that of the membrane 2 ; and the electrode must maintain its conductivity and mechanical integrity over large strains (10% to 50%) and many cycles. Finding materials with these properties is challenging because good conductors are not compliant.…”

Invisibility cloak with image projection capability

“…In recent times, modern electronic devices such as cellphones, smart glasses, and computers are desired to be transparent30. The need for transparent objects with the display function is not limited to personal electronics.…”

Optimization Techniques for Improving the Performance of Silicone‐Based Dielectric Elastomers

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Dielectric elastomers consist of an elastomer film placed between two thin and compliant electrodes, thereby creating a capacitor capable of energy transduction, as shown in Figure 1. [10][11][12] For a detailed and thorough review on electrode systems, see Rosset and Shea [13] as well as the more recent review by McCoul et al [14] In the following, the elastomer and electrode system is referred to as a "dielectric elastomer transducer" (DET), whereas the elastomer material will be denoted as "dielectric elastomer". [10][11][12] For a detailed and thorough review on electrode systems, see Rosset and Shea [13] as well as the more recent review by McCoul et al [14] In the following, the elastomer and electrode system is referred to as a "dielectric elastomer transducer" (DET), whereas the elastomer material will be denoted as "dielectric elastomer".…”