Design of intrinsically stretchable and highly conductive polymers for fully stretchable electrochromic devices

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.

High-Coloration Efficiency and Low-Power Consumption Electrochromic Film based on Multifunctional Conducting Polymer for Large Scale Smart Windows

“…This means that when the device is operated by repeated coloration and bleaching, the amount of charge reaching each of the reducing and oxidizing layers is balanced, so that stable driving and higher efficiency can be achieved. 28,29 In order to prove that the coloration efficiency of PA-ECD is a meaningful result, it is shown in Table 1 by comparing it with the values of electrochromic devices of other studies.…”

Water-Based Highly Stretchable PEDOT:PSS/Nonionic WPU Transparent Electrode

“…The soft and elastomeric segments, PSS- b -PPEGMEA, were used as a matrix to synthesize PEDOT:PSS- b -PPEGMEA to generate intrinsically stretchable conductive polymers. Additionally, our research group synthesized a random copolymer comprising PSS and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), and also grafted copolymers of PSS with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to obtain stretchable conducting polymers [ 17 , 18 ]. Modification of PSS significantly influenced the conformational changes of the PEDOT chains and easily reduced the intrinsic electrical conductivity.…”

A soft intelligent dressing with pH and temperature sensors for early detection of wound infection

“…In the following 3 days, although the pH and temperature of the two wound surfaces fluctuated, the pH and temperature were always higher for the infected wound than for the uninfected one, due to the proliferation of bacteria and the response of the rat's own immune system. 28 In the animal model experiment, the customized data processing module is integrated with the sensor for data acquisition. Due to the limitations of the size and energy of the data processing module, continuous wound monitoring was not performed in this study.…”

“…The stretchability of the material can ensure that the sensor can always have a good relatively static contact with the wound when the wound deforms. SEBS shows the best stretchability and softness, and has been used as wearable electronics, 28,29 however, it has not been applied in wound monitoring.…”