ABSTRACT
Stretchable electroluminescent devices represent an emerging optoelectronic technology for future wearables. However, their typical construction on sub-millimeter-thick elastomers has limited moisture permeability, leading to discomfort during long-term skin attachment. Although breathable textile displays may partially address this issue, they often have distinct visual appearances with discrete emissions from fibers or fiber junctions. This study introduces a convenient procedure to create stretchable, permeable displays with continuous luminous patterns. The design utilizes ultrathin nanocomposite devices embedded in a porous elastomeric microfoam to achieve high moisture permeability. These displays also exhibit excellent deformability, low-voltage operation, and excellent durability. Additionally, the device is decorated with fluorinated silica nanoparticles to achieve self-cleaning and washable capabilities. The practical implementation of these nanocomposite devices is demonstrated by creating an epidermal counter display that allows intimate integration with the human body. These developments provide an effective design of stretchable and breathable displays for comfortable wearing.
ABSTRACT
A stretchable alternating current electroluminescent display seamlessly combines the light-emitting capabilities with mechanical compliance, which offers exciting opportunities for applications in wearable gadgets, soft robots, and fashion designs. The widespread adaption to deformable forms of optoelectronics is currently impeded by the tedious and labor-intensive fabrication process. This study reports an efficient and scalable procedure to create a fully screen-printed, multicolor, and stretchable electroluminescent display. The as-prepared device exhibits excellent deformability and low-voltage operation. The practical implementation is demonstrated by creating a wearable sound-synchronized sensing system with an epidermal display responsive to the rhythm of music. The ink formulation and printing procedure developed here pave the way for convenient fabrication of stretchable electronic devices.
