Stretchable Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells Using an Elastomeric Emissive Material

Abstract

Dispersing an ionic transition metal complex into an elastomeric matrix enables the fabrication of intrinsically stretchable light-emitting devices that possess large emission areas (∼175 mm(2)) and tolerate linear strains up to 27% and repetitive cycles of 15% strain. This work demonstrates the suitability of this approach to new applications in conformable lighting that require uniform, diffuse light emission over large areas.

Cephalopod-inspired design of electro-mechano-chemically responsive elastomers for on-demand fluorescent patterning

“…The activation of EMCR elastomer and fluorescent patterning are reversible and repeatable over multiple cycles, in contrast to the irreversible plastic deformation or fracture required for activating most existing mechanoresponsive polymers 21,[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] . By integrating diverse fluorescent patterns, remote control by voltages and reversibility over multiple cycles, the new cephalopod-inspired EMCR elastomers open promising avenues for creating flexible devices that combine deformation, colorimetric and fluorescent response with topological and chemical changes that might eventually be useful in a variety of applications in soft/wet environments, including flexible displays [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]11 , optoelectronics 1,8,9 , biomedical luminescent devices 2,4 and dynamic camouflage coatings 10,17 .…”

“…The selection of chromatophores to be activated is usually controlled by the cephalopod's nervous system in response to environmental stimuli. This natural display strategy, if successfully implemented in engineering devices, would greatly benefit and advance various fields such as flexible electronics, photonics, dynamic camouflage and biomedical luminescent devices [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] . Despite its potential, both the development of new materials for chromatophores and the design of remote-control mechanisms for chromatophore devices are challenging tasks in materials science and technology 17,19 .…”

“…S oft material systems that are flexible, remotely controllable and capable of emitting fluorescence and light are playing critical roles in nontraditional displays for applications as diverse as stretchable electronics, foldable lighting devices, flexible and biocompatible luminescent recourses for clinical therapy, and dynamic camouflage [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] . To design these responsive soft material systems, various strategies have been exploited, such as embedding rigid light-emitting diodes into elastomeric substrates [3][4][5][6][7] , employing stretchable electro-luminescent polymers 1,8,9,11 and designing microfluidic networks filled with controlled pigment fluids 10,[12][13][14][15] .…”

“…To design these responsive soft material systems, various strategies have been exploited, such as embedding rigid light-emitting diodes into elastomeric substrates [3][4][5][6][7] , employing stretchable electro-luminescent polymers 1,8,9,11 and designing microfluidic networks filled with controlled pigment fluids 10,[12][13][14][15] . On the other hand, nature offers a drastically different strategy that enables soft skins of animals to spontaneously display versatile colours and fluorescence 10,16,17 .…”

Flexible Photodetectors Based on 1D Inorganic Nanostructures

“…Several kinds of innovative flexible electronic devices have been successfully fabricated, such as flexible solar cells, electronic skins, flexible transistors and circuits, flexible light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), flexible batteries. and flexible photodetectors 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Photodetectors (PDs) are a kind of electronic sensor for sensing light.…”