Electronics becomes highly conformable, with the prospect to fit to randomly shaped 3D-objects like skin, an area of research that is booming, evolving from laboratory curiosity to practical implementations. Here we describe a skin-spired electronic platform for highly stretchable interconnects with stretch independent electrical conductivity. With a total thickness below 2µm our electronic foil is practically imperceptible. In conjunction with a stretchable carrier, gold, and copper conductors with a resistivity close to that of the bulk metals are unimpaired by mechanical cycling up to 50% strain for up to 1000 cycles. These stretchable conductors can be readily combined with off-the-shelf electronic items to form stretchable LED stripes that remain functional when stretching up to 240% strain and twisting by 720°. In addition we demonstrate a hybrid 2D biaxial stretchable LED network that is readily stretched to 2.5 times its initial area repeatedly. Conducting polymer electrodes extend the concept of imperceptible electronics to transparent devices. The developed technology platform marks first steps towards imperceptible electronic devices that camouflage their presence with potential applications in mobile appliances, sports, health care, food and environmental quality monitoring.
Forschungs-