Abstract
Stretchable materials are essential for next generation wearable and stretchable electronic devices. Intrinsically stretchable and highly conductive polymers (termed ISHCP) are designed with semi interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) that enable polymers to be simultaneously applied to transparent electrodes and electrochromic materials. Through a facile method of acid-catalyzed polymer condensation reaction, optimized ISHCP films show the highest electrical conductivity, 1406 S/cm, at a 20% stretched state. Without the blending of any other elastomeric matrix, ISHCP maintains its initial electrical properties under a cyclic stretch-release of over 50% strain. A fully stretchable electrochromic device based on ISHCP is fabricated and shows a performance of 47.7% ∆T and high coloration efficiency of 434.1 cm2/C at 590 nm. The device remains at 45.2% ∆T after 50% strain stretching. A simple patterned electrolyte layer on a stretchable electrochromic device is also realized. The fabricated device, consisting of all-plastic, can be applied by a solution process for large scale production. The ISHCP reveals its potential application in stretchable electrochromic devices and satisfies the requirements for next-generation stretchable electronics.
Highlights
Stretchable materials are essential for generation wearable and stretchable electronic devices
The effects that increase the stretchability in combination with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were confirmed through a comparison of neat PEDOT:polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS) and H 2SO4 in-situ polymerized PEDOT:PSS
To enhance the stretchability of intrinsically stretchable and highly conductive polymer (ISHCP) materials, the PEG was selected as a soft segment whose chemical structure can be rotated because of its ether group
Summary
Stretchable materials are essential for generation wearable and stretchable electronic devices. Deformable properties are in demand for stretchable devices, which include light-emitting diodes, batteries, artificial electronic skin (E-skin), supercapacitors, sensors, transistors, electrochromic devices (ECDs), and m ore[1,2,3,4]. Among these devices, ECDs have been anticipated for promising applications in optoelectronics due to their low power consumption (energy cost savings) and the low cost of their basic m aterials[5]. Liu et al presented a sandwiched tungsten trioxide/silver nanotrough network/PEDOT:PSS multi-layer transparent electrode with excellent conductivity and transparency[7] This hybrid electrode provided new opportunities for wearable electronics applied on elastomeric substrates. Stretchable electrochromic materials would realize ideal stretchable ECDs through a facile fabrication process and high coloration efficiency
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