Plastically Deformable Inorganic Semiconductors

Abstract

The discovery of room-temperature plasticity in inorganic semiconductors is ground-breaking. This has recultivated our knowledge on the mechanical properties of inorganic materials, offering new possibilities for the application in flexible and deformable electronics. Over the past five years, new materials have been created, the understanding of plasticity deepened, and various applications demonstrated. This perspective outlines the discovery and research progress of two kinds of plastically deformable materials: Ag2S-based alloys and two-dimensional van der Waals (2D vdW) crystals, covering the deformation mechanism, screening of new ductile materials, and the synergetic optimization of electro-thermo-mechanical properties. Future study on these new-concept materials is also outlooked by proposing several key issues to be settled.