Omnidirectionally Stretchable and Transparent Graphene Electrodes.

Abstract

Stretchable and transparent electrodes have been developed for applications in flexible and wearable electronics. For customer-oriented practical applications, the electrical and optical properties of stretchable electrodes should be independent of the directions of the applied stress, and such electrodes are called omnidirectionally stretchable electrodes. Herein, we report a simple and cost-effective approach for the fabrication of omnidirectionally stretchable and transparent graphene electrodes with mechanical durability and performance reliability. The use of a Fresnel lens-patterned electrode allows multilayered graphene sheets to achieve a concentric circular wavy structure, which is capable of sustaining tensile strains in all directions. The as-prepared electrodes exhibit high optical transparency, low sheet resistance, and reliable electrical performances under various deformation (e.g., bending, stretching, folding, and buckling) conditions. Furthermore, computer simulations have also been carried out to investigate the response of a Fresnel lens-patterned structure on the application of mechanical stresses. This study can be significant in a large variety of potential applications, ranging from stretchable devices to electronic components in various wearable integrated systems.