Issue 10, 2017

Design and application of ‘J-shaped’ stress–strain behavior in stretchable electronics: a review

Abstract

A variety of natural biological tissues (e.g., skin, ligaments, spider silk, blood vessel) exhibit ‘J-shaped’ stress–strain behavior, thereby combining soft, compliant mechanics and large levels of stretchability, with a natural ‘strain-limiting’ mechanism to prevent damage from excessive strain. Synthetic materials with similar stress–strain behaviors have potential utility in many promising applications, such as tissue engineering (to reproduce the nonlinear mechanical properties of real biological tissues) and biomedical devices (to enable natural, comfortable integration of stretchable electronics with biological tissues/organs). Recent advances in this field encompass developments of novel material/structure concepts, fabrication approaches, and unique device applications. This review highlights five representative strategies, including designs that involve open network, wavy and wrinkled morphologies, helical layouts, kirigami and origami constructs, and textile formats. Discussions focus on the underlying ideas, the fabrication/assembly routes, and the microstructure–property relationships that are essential for optimization of the desired ‘J-shaped’ stress–strain responses. Demonstration applications provide examples of the use of these designs in deformable electronics and biomedical devices that offer soft, compliant mechanics but with inherent robustness against damage from excessive deformation. We conclude with some perspectives on challenges and opportunities for future research.

Graphical abstract: Design and application of ‘J-shaped’ stress–strain behavior in stretchable electronics: a review

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
18 mar. 2017
Accepted
21 apr. 2017
First published
24 apr. 2017

Lab Chip, 2017,17, 1689-1704

Design and application of ‘J-shaped’ stress–strain behavior in stretchable electronics: a review

Y. Ma, X. Feng, J. A. Rogers, Y. Huang and Y. Zhang, Lab Chip, 2017, 17, 1689 DOI: 10.1039/C7LC00289K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements