Ultrastretchable conductive liquid metal composites enabled by adaptive interfacial polarization

Abstract

Gallium-based liquid metals (LMs) are emerging candidates for the development of metal/polymer-based flexible circuits in wearable electronics. However, the high surface energies of LMs make them easily depleted from the polymer matrix and therefore substantially suppress the stretchability of the conductive composites. Here, we reveal that a dynamic interplay between the LM and the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) copolymer can help to address these issues. Weak and abundant interfacial polarization interactions between the PVDF copolymer and the oxide layer allow continuous and adaptive configuration of the compartmented LM channels, enabling ultra-stretchability of the composites. The conductive LM–polymer composites can maintain their structural integrity with a high surface conductivity and small resistance changes under large strains from 1000% to 10 000%. Taking advantage of their flexible processability under mild conditions and exceptional performance, our design strategy allows the scalable fabrication of conductive LM–polymer composites for a range of applications in wearable devices and sensors.