Fabric-based stretchable electronics with mechanically optimized designs and prestrained composite substrates

A mechanically rugged form of stretchable electronics can be achieved through integration of functional materials and devices with composite substrates consisting of an ultralow modulus silicone adhesive layer on a strain-limiting fabric framework. The resulting system is sufficiently soft to enable extreme levels of deformation and non-invasive use on the skin, yet sufficiently robust for repetitive application/detachment. This letter introduces theoretical and experimental studies of mechanical designs, with optimization for a representative island-bridge device configuration to yield high levels of elastic stretchability. The physics of prestrain conversion and its role in enhancing the stretchability are systematically explored. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.