Search

Abstract Soft and conformable electronics are emerging rapidly and is envisioned as the future of next-generation electronic devices where devices can be readily deployed in various environments, such as on-body, on-skin or as a biomedical implant. Modern day electronics require electrical conductors as the fundamental building block for stretchable electronic devices and systems. In this review, we will study the various strategies and methods of designing and fabricating materials which are conductive, stretchable and self-healable, and explore relevant applications such as flexible and stretchable sensors, electrodes and energy harvesters.

Metallic two‐dimensional conductive nanomaterials are extensively explored in stretchable strain sensors, which have promising applications ranging from health monitoring to human–machine manipulation. However, there are limited materials available in this category, and their sensing abilities need to be strengthened. Herein, a controllable deoxidation–nitridation strategy via the pyrolysis of an amine nitrogen source to synthesize oxygen‐doped vanadium nitride (VNO) nanosheets with high conductivity is reported. Its metallic characteristics and low dimensionality, together with layer‐to‐layer slippage make VNO particularly suitable for stretchable strain sensors with remarkable performance, including extraordinary sensitivity (a maximum gauge factor of 2667), wide detection range (0–100%), high durability (over 6000 cycles), and rapid response (44 ms). Furthermore, the strain sensors can capture various physiological signals; in particular, a state‐of‐the‐art wireless vehicle control system designed for differently abled people is fabricated based on the sensors. Moreover, by engineering the thickness of the VNO layer, it can behave as an elastic conductor, demonstrating its feasibility for stretchable wiring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for wearable glucose sensing has stimulated growing interest in stretchable electrodes. The development of the electrode materials having large stretchability, low detection limit, and good selectivity is the key component for constructing high performance wearable glucose sensors. In this work, we presented fabrication of stretchable conductor based on the copper coated carbon nanotube sheath-core fiber, and its application as non-enzymatic electrode for glucose detection with high stretchability, low detection limit, and selectivity. The sheath-core fiber was fabricated by coating copper coated carbon nanotube on a pre-stretched rubber fiber core followed by release of pre-stretch, which had a hierarchically buckled structure. It showed a small resistance change as low as 27% as strain increasing from 0% to 500% strain, and a low resistance of 0.4 Ω·cm−1 at strain of 500%. This electrode showed linear glucose concentration detection in the range between 0.05 mM and 5 mM and good selectivity against sucrose, lactic acid, uric acid, acrylic acid in phosphate buffer saline solution, and showed stable signal in high salt concentration. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.05 mM, for the range of 0.05–5 mM, the sensitivity is 46 mA·M−1. This electrode can withstand large strain of up to 60% with negligible influence on its performance.

The increasing demand for wearable glucose sensing has stimulated growing interest in stretchable electrodes. The development of the electrode materials having large stretchability, low detection limit, and good selectivity is the key component for constructing high performance wearable glucose sensors. In this work, we presented fabrication of stretchable conductor based on the copper coated carbon nanotube sheath-core fiber, and its application as non-enzymatic electrode for glucose detection with high stretchability, low detection limit, and selectivity. The sheath-core fiber was fabricated by coating copper coated carbon nanotube on a pre-stretched rubber fiber core followed by release of pre-stretch, which had a hierarchically buckled structure. It showed a small resistance change as low as 27% as strain increasing from 0% to 500% strain, and a low resistance of 0.4 Ω·cm−1 at strain of 500%. This electrode showed linear glucose concentration detection in the range between 0.05 mM and 5 mM and good selectivity against sucrose, lactic acid, uric acid, acrylic acid in phosphate buffer saline solution, and showed stable signal in high salt concentration. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.05 mM, for the range of 0.05–5 mM, the sensitivity is 46 mA·M−1. This electrode can withstand large strain of up to 60% with negligible influence on its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel strategy for the fabrication of ordered and flexible polymer-based graphene foams by self-assembly of graphene sheets on a 3D polymer skeleton. The obtained graphene foams show excellent mechanical, electrical, and hydrophobic properties, thus holding great potential as elastic conductors and oil-water separators., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)