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Journal ArticleDOI

Recent Progress on Stretchable Electronic Devices with Intrinsically Stretchable Components.

01 Jan 2017-Advanced Materials (Adv Mater)-Vol. 29, Iss: 3, pp 1603167
TL;DR: The latest successful examples of stretchable conductors for applications in interconnections, electrodes, and piezoresistive devices are reviewed here and a detailed overview of the recent progress in stretchable semiconductors, stretchable insulators, and other novel stretchable materials is given.
Abstract: Stretchable electronic devices with intrinsically stretchable components have significant inherent advantages, including simple fabrication processes, a high integrity of the stacked layers, and low cost in comparison with stretchable electronic devices based on non-stretchable components. The research in this field has focused on developing new intrinsically stretchable components for conductors, semiconductors, and insulators. New methodologies and fabrication processes have been developed to fabricate stretchable devices with intrinsically stretchable components. The latest successful examples of stretchable conductors for applications in interconnections, electrodes, and piezoresistive devices are reviewed here. Stretchable conductors can be used for electrode or sensor applications depending on the electrical properties of the stretchable conductors under mechanical strain. A detailed overview of the recent progress in stretchable semiconductors, stretchable insulators, and other novel stretchable materials is also given, along with a discussion of the associated technological innovations and challenges. Stretchable electronic devices with intrinsically stretchable components such as field-effect transistors (FETs), photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), electronic skins, and energy harvesters are also described and a new strategy for development of stretchable electronic devices is discussed. Conclusions and future prospects for the development of stretchable electronic devices with intrinsically stretchable components are discussed.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The state-of-the-art progress toward mechanisms, new materials, and novel device designs for supercapacitors is summarized and key technical challenges are highlighted regarding further research in this thriving field.
Abstract: Notably, many significant breakthroughs for a new generation of supercapacitors have been reported in recent years, related to theoretical understanding, material synthesis and device designs. Herein, we summarize the state-of-the-art progress toward mechanisms, new materials, and novel device designs for supercapacitors. Firstly, fundamental understanding of the mechanism is mainly focused on the relationship between the structural properties of electrode materials and their electrochemical performances based on some in situ characterization techniques and simulations. Secondly, some emerging electrode materials are discussed, including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), MXenes, metal nitrides, black phosphorus, LaMnO3, and RbAg4I5/graphite. Thirdly, the device innovations for the next generation of supercapacitors are provided successively, mainly emphasizing flow supercapacitors, alternating current (AC) line-filtering supercapacitors, redox electrolyte enhanced supercapacitors, metal ion hybrid supercapacitors, micro-supercapacitors (fiber, plane and three-dimensional) and multifunctional supercapacitors including electrochromic supercapacitors, self-healing supercapacitors, piezoelectric supercapacitors, shape-memory supercapacitors, thermal self-protective supercapacitors, thermal self-charging supercapacitors, and photo self-charging supercapacitors. Finally, the future developments and key technical challenges are highlighted regarding further research in this thriving field.

1,397 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The state-of-the-art advancements in FSSCs are reviewed to provide new insights on mechanisms, emerging electrode materials, flexible gel electrolytes and novel cell designs.
Abstract: Flexible solid-state supercapacitors (FSSCs) are frontrunners in energy storage device technology and have attracted extensive attention owing to recent significant breakthroughs in modern wearable electronics In this study, we review the state-of-the-art advancements in FSSCs to provide new insights on mechanisms, emerging electrode materials, flexible gel electrolytes and novel cell designs The review begins with a brief introduction on the fundamental understanding of charge storage mechanisms based on the structural properties of electrode materials The next sections briefly summarise the latest progress in flexible electrodes (ie, freestanding and substrate-supported, including textile, paper, metal foil/wire and polymer-based substrates) and flexible gel electrolytes (ie, aqueous, organic, ionic liquids and redox-active gels) Subsequently, a comprehensive summary of FSSC cell designs introduces some emerging electrode materials, including MXenes, metal nitrides, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), polyoxometalates (POMs) and black phosphorus Some potential practical applications, such as the development of piezoelectric, photo-, shape-memory, self-healing, electrochromic and integrated sensor-supercapacitors are also discussed The final section highlights current challenges and future perspectives on research in this thriving field

1,210 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A critical overview of soft robotic grippers is presented, covering different material sets, physical principles, and device architectures, and improved materials, processing methods, and sensing play an important role in future research.
Abstract: Advances in soft robotics, materials science, and stretchable electronics have enabled rapid progress in soft grippers. Here, a critical overview of soft robotic grippers is presented, covering different material sets, physical principles, and device architectures. Soft gripping can be categorized into three technologies, enabling grasping by: a) actuation, b) controlled stiffness, and c) controlled adhesion. A comprehensive review of each type is presented. Compared to rigid grippers, end-effectors fabricated from flexible and soft components can often grasp or manipulate a larger variety of objects. Such grippers are an example of morphological computation, where control complexity is greatly reduced by material softness and mechanical compliance. Advanced materials and soft components, in particular silicone elastomers, shape memory materials, and active polymers and gels, are increasingly investigated for the design of lighter, simpler, and more universal grippers, using the inherent functionality of the materials. Embedding stretchable distributed sensors in or on soft grippers greatly enhances the ways in which the grippers interact with objects. Challenges for soft grippers include miniaturization, robustness, speed, integration of sensing, and control. Improved materials, processing methods, and sensing play an important role in future research.

1,028 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent progress in electronic skin or e‐skin research is broadly reviewed, focusing on technologies needed in three main applications: skin‐attachable electronics, robotics, and prosthetics.
Abstract: Recent progress in electronic skin or e-skin research is broadly reviewed, focusing on technologies needed in three main applications: skin-attachable electronics, robotics, and prosthetics. First, since e-skin will be exposed to prolonged stresses of various kinds and needs to be conformally adhered to irregularly shaped surfaces, materials with intrinsic stretchability and self-healing properties are of great importance. Second, tactile sensing capability such as the detection of pressure, strain, slip, force vector, and temperature are important for health monitoring in skin attachable devices, and to enable object manipulation and detection of surrounding environment for robotics and prosthetics. For skin attachable devices, chemical and electrophysiological sensing and wireless signal communication are of high significance to fully gauge the state of health of users and to ensure user comfort. For robotics and prosthetics, large-area integration on 3D surfaces in a facile and scalable manner is critical. Furthermore, new signal processing strategies using neuromorphic devices are needed to efficiently process tactile information in a parallel and low power manner. For prosthetics, neural interfacing electrodes are of high importance. These topics are discussed, focusing on progress, current challenges, and future prospects.

881 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review outlines advances made in understanding the relationship between aggregate structure and photophysics when vibronic coupling and intermolecular charge transfer are incorporated.
Abstract: The electronic excited states of molecular aggregates and their photophysical signatures have long fascinated spectroscopists and theoreticians alike since the advent of Frenkel exciton theory almost 90 years ago. The influence of molecular packing on basic optical probes like absorption and photoluminescence was originally worked out by Kasha for aggregates dominated by Coulombic intermolecular interactions, eventually leading to the classification of J- and H-aggregates. This review outlines advances made in understanding the relationship between aggregate structure and photophysics when vibronic coupling and intermolecular charge transfer are incorporated. An assortment of packing geometries is considered from the humble molecular dimer to more exotic structures including linear and bent aggregates, two-dimensional herringbone and “HJ” aggregates, and chiral aggregates. The interplay between long-range Coulomb coupling and short-range charge-transfer-mediated coupling strongly depends on the aggregate ...

865 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A class of wearable and stretchable devices fabricated from thin films of aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes capable of measuring strains up to 280% with high durability, fast response and low creep is reported.
Abstract: Thin films of single-wall carbon nanotube have been used to create stretchable devices that can be incorporated into clothes and used to detect human motions.

2,790 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
25 Jul 2013-Nature
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a platform that makes electronics both virtually unbreakable and imperceptible on polyimide polysilicon elastomers, which can be operated at high temperatures and in aqueous environments.
Abstract: Electronic devices have advanced from their heavy, bulky origins to become smart, mobile appliances. Nevertheless, they remain rigid, which precludes their intimate integration into everyday life. Flexible, textile and stretchable electronics are emerging research areas and may yield mainstream technologies. Rollable and unbreakable backplanes with amorphous silicon field-effect transistors on steel substrates only 3 μm thick have been demonstrated. On polymer substrates, bending radii of 0.1 mm have been achieved in flexible electronic devices. Concurrently, the need for compliant electronics that can not only be flexed but also conform to three-dimensional shapes has emerged. Approaches include the transfer of ultrathin polyimide layers encapsulating silicon CMOS circuits onto pre-stretched elastomers, the use of conductive elastomers integrated with organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) on polyimide islands, and fabrication of OFETs and gold interconnects on elastic substrates to realize pressure, temperature and optical sensors. Here we present a platform that makes electronics both virtually unbreakable and imperceptible. Fabricated directly on ultrathin (1 μm) polymer foils, our electronic circuits are light (3 g m(-2)) and ultraflexible and conform to their ambient, dynamic environment. Organic transistors with an ultra-dense oxide gate dielectric a few nanometres thick formed at room temperature enable sophisticated large-area electronic foils with unprecedented mechanical and environmental stability: they withstand repeated bending to radii of 5 μm and less, can be crumpled like paper, accommodate stretching up to 230% on prestrained elastomers, and can be operated at high temperatures and in aqueous environments. Because manufacturing costs of organic electronics are potentially low, imperceptible electronic foils may be as common in the future as plastic wrap is today. Applications include matrix-addressed tactile sensor foils for health care and monitoring, thin-film heaters, temperature and infrared sensors, displays, and organic solar cells.

2,062 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Morteza Amjadi1, Aekachan Pichitpajongkit1, Sangjun Lee1, Seunghwa Ryu1, Inkyu Park1 
29 Apr 2014-ACS Nano
TL;DR: The applicability of the high performance strain sensors based on the nanocomposite of silver nanowire network and PDMS elastomer in the form of the sandwich structure is demonstrated by fabricating a glove integrated with five strain sensors for the motion detection of fingers and control of an avatar in the virtual environment.
Abstract: The demand for flexible and wearable electronic devices is increasing due to their facile interaction with human body. Flexible, stretchable and wearable sensors can be easily mounted on clothing or directly attached onto the body. Especially, highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors are needed for the human motion detection. Here, we report highly flexible, stretchable and sensitive strain sensors based on the nanocomposite of silver nanowire (AgNW) network and PDMS elastomer in the form of the sandwich structure (i.e., AgNW thin film embedded between two layers of PDMS). The AgNW network-elastomer nanocomposite based strain sensors show strong piezoresistivity with tunable gauge factors in the ranges of 2 to 14 and a high stretchability up to 70%. We demonstrate the applicability of our high performance strain sensors by fabricating a glove integrated with five strain sensors for the motion detection of fingers and control of an avatar in the virtual environment.

1,837 citations

PatentDOI
06 Apr 2012-Science
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present stretchable and printable semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed, or otherwise deformed.
Abstract: The present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention may be adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

1,673 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The manufacture of printable elastic conductors comprising single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) uniformly dispersed in a fluorinated rubber is described, which is constructed a rubber-like stretchable active-matrix display comprising integrated printed elastic conductor, organic transistors and organic light-emitting diodes.
Abstract: Stretchability will significantly expand the applications scope of electronics, particularly for large-area electronic displays, sensors and actuators. Unlike for conventional devices, stretchable electronics can cover arbitrary surfaces and movable parts. However, a large hurdle is the manufacture of large-area highly stretchable electrical wirings with high conductivity. Here, we describe the manufacture of printable elastic conductors comprising single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) uniformly dispersed in a fluorinated rubber. Using an ionic liquid and jet-milling, we produce long and fine SWNT bundles that can form well-developed conducting networks in the rubber. Conductivity of more than 100 S cm(-1) and stretchability of more than 100% are obtained. Making full use of this extraordinary conductivity, we constructed a rubber-like stretchable active-matrix display comprising integrated printed elastic conductors, organic transistors and organic light-emitting diodes. The display could be stretched by 30-50% and spread over a hemisphere without any mechanical or electrical damage.

1,616 citations