Highly Stable Liquid Metal Conductors with Superior Electrical Stability and Tough Interface Bonding for Stretchable Electronics

Ga-based liquid metal stretchable conductors have recently gained interest in flexible electronic devices such as electrodes, antennas, and sensors. It is essential to maintain electrical stability under strain or cyclic strain for reliable data acquisition and exhibit tough interfacial bonding between liquid metal and polymers to prevent performance loss and device failure. Herein, a highly stable conductor with superior electrical stability and tough interface bonding is introduced by casting curable polymers and a peeling-activated process from liquid metal particles. Based on the compensating effect of liquid metal, similar to the recharge relationship of water between rivers and lakes in nature, the conductor is not only strain-insensitive (Delta R/R0 < 10% for 100% strain) but also immune to cyclic deformation (Delta R/R0 < 7% with 5000 stretching cycles at 50% strain). Embedding liquid metal within the elastomer to create stretchable conductors effectively improves interfacial adhesion properties (the fluid-solid interfacial adhesion force increases from 0.48 to 0.62 mN/mm2). The constructed tough interface could even withstand sonication treatment. Finally, by combining strategies in material design and fabrication, an integrated array composed of vertical interconnect access and robust electrodes is fabricated, which simultaneously holds interfacial with the and lower

Automated summary

Ga-based liquid metal stretchable conductors have attracted attention in flexible electronic devices due to their stable electrical performance and strong interfacial bonding. In this study, a stable conductor with superior electrical stability and tough interface bonding is achieved by casting curable polymers and peeling-activated process from liquid metal particles. The conductor shows strain-insensitivity and immunity to cyclic deformation, and the interfacial adhesion properties are effectively improved by embedding liquid metal within the elastomer.