Fabrication Approaches of Soft Electronics

Abstract

The use of conductive materials to be printed/embedded onto/within a polymeric matrix has gained increasing attention in the fabrication of next-generation soft electronics. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the materials and approaches for the fabrication of 2D and 3D conductive structures while focusing on the importance of the compatibility between the particles’ shape, the polymeric matrix type, and the deposition method, along with the target application. The review presents a summary of the main conductive materials and the type of polymeric materials which were utilized for fabricating soft electronic devices that are bendable/twistable and stretchable. It is divided into two sections: Introduction section, which presents briefly conductive materials, polymeric matrix, and fabrication methods, and Fabrication section, presenting the main 6 approaches of fabrication. Each of the fabrication subsections presents the main recent reports in a detailed table. The review is concluded with an Outlook section, describing the current challenges in this field. Despite the progress in the fabrication of 2D bendable/twistable electronic devices toward industrial integration, there is still a need for tailoring and improving the durability and robustness of 3D stretchable electronic devices.