Abstract
Polymer thermoelectric (TE) materials present a promising alternative to actuating low-power wearable electronics without an additional power source, among which poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) is a promising candidate. However, it is too hard and brittle to integrate into wearables seamlessly and comfortably. Herein, PEDOT:PSS-based TE composites with simultaneous softness and stretchability are fabricated by a water-borne polyurethane (WPU) and PEDOT:PSS mixture containing the judiciously chosen ionic liquid (IL) and subsequent drop casting. The obtained composites show a stable TE voltage, high stretchability (>500%), ultra-flexibility, and excellent sensitivity (gauge factor = 1251). More importantly, it exhibited "J-shaped" stress─strain curves resembling human skins after a loading/releasing treatment. The skin-like nonlinear elastic behavior combines enough softness in the "toe" region, high stretchability, and a strong strain hardening at the late deformation stage, enabling its seamless and comfortable integration with the human body. Given the desired mechanical performance and strain-sensing capability, the composite is designed to serve as a self-powered sensor with high sensitivity and accuracy, suggesting a high potential in human motion detection. This work demonstrates the versatility of the developed skin-like PEDOT:PSS-based composites in wearable electronics.Details
| Publication | Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 35, issue 14, id. 2420644 |
| Publication Date | April 2025 |
| DOI | |
| Bibcode | 2025AdvFM..3520644Z |
| Collections |