A Stretchable Polymer Conductor Through the Mutual Plasticization Effect

Adv Mater. 2023 Sep;35(38):e2303245. doi: 10.1002/adma.202303245. Epub 2023 Jul 27.

Abstract

Intrinsically stretchable conductors play key roles in the dynamic interfacing of electronic devices with soft human tissues. However, it is difficult to simultaneously achieve high electrical conductivity and mechanical stretchability. Here, highly stretchable and conductive thin film electrodes are prepared by combining PEDOT:PSS and a mutually plasticized polymer dopant. Notably, harsh acid treatment for conductivity enhancement is avoided, and good solvent tolerance and high optical transparency are realized, all of which are essential to device fabrication. A transparent electrochromic display is further developed that can bear stretching up to 80% strain, demonstrating its promising application in next-generation optoelectronics.

Keywords: conducting polymers; organic optoelectronics; plasticizer; polyrotaxane; stretchable electronics.