Deformable and transparent ionic and electronic conductors for soft energy devices

Abstract

The recent boom in deformable or stretchable electronics, flexible transparent displays/screens, and their integration into the human body has facilitated the development of multifunctional energy devices that are stretchable, transparent, wearable, and/or biocompatible while meeting the energy or power requirements. The development of soft energy systems begins with the preparation of relevant conductors and the design of innovative device configurations. In this study, recent advances and trends in stretchable and transparent electronic and ionic conductors are reviewed coupled with the growing efforts to use them for soft energy storage and conversion systems. Stretchable transparent ionic conductors present possibilities for use as current collectors and electrolytes in soft electronic/energy devices, providing novel insight into biofriendly systems for an effective human–machine interaction. Moreover, representative examples that demonstrate soft energy devices based on stretchable transparent ionic/electronic conductors are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives of developing novel stretchable transparent conductors and device configurations with tailored features are also considered.