Enhancing the interfacial binding strength between modular stretchable electronic components

Abstract

Stretchable electronics are emerging for personalized and decentralized clinics, wearable devices and human-machine interactions. Nowadays, separated stretchable functional parts have been well developed and are approaching practical usage. However, the production of whole stretchable devices with full functions still faces a huge challenge: the integration of different components, which was hindered by the mechanical mismatch and stress/strain concentration at the connection interfaces. To avoid connection failure in stretchable devices, a new research focus is to improve the interfacial binding strength between different components. In this review, recent developments to enhance interfacial strength in wearable/implantable electronics are introduced and catalogued into three major strategies: (i) covalent bonding between different device parts, (ii) molecular interpenetration or mechanical interlocking at the interfaces and (iii) covalent connection between the human body and devices. Besides reviewing current methods, we also discuss the existing challenges and possible improvements for stretchable devices from the aspect of interfacial connections.

Keywords: covalent bonding; device–human interfaces; interfacial strength; mechanical interlocking; stretchable electronics.