Open AccessSelf-supporting, ultra-thin and highly transparent conducting nickel grids for extremely flexible and stretchable electrochromic devices
Author(s) -
Shiqing Zhao,
Zhouying Jiang,
Linsen Chen,
Wenbin Huang,
Yanhua Liu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.428332
Subject(s) - materials science , electrochromism , stretchable electronics , electrochromic devices , flexible electronics , electrode , bending , substrate (aquarium) , bend radius , optoelectronics , thin film , structural coloration , sheet resistance , composite material , transmittance , flexible display , electrical conductor , nanotechnology , electronics , layer (electronics) , thin film transistor , photonic crystal , chemistry , oceanography , geology
It has been a great challenge to design an extremely flexible and stretchable electrochromic device (ECD), due to the physical deformation and fracture of the conductive materials and supporting substrates after plenty of bending. To solve the aforementioned shortcoming of ECDs, in this paper, a self-supporting metal Ni gird electrode is mentioned, which discarded solid or flexible polymeric substrates, having outstanding features of extremely foldability (bending radius lower 50 μm), stretchability (stretching to 117.6%), excellent conductivity (sheet resistance lower 0.4 Ω/sq), high transmittance (about 90% in full spectra), and ultra-thin thickness (3.7 μm). By assembling the metal electrode, the electrochromic material and the hydrogel, a paper-thin, ultra-flexible, and stretchable ECD with an overall thickness of 113 μm was prepared, which could be attached to the manifold and undulating surface of things and be stretched without compromising the dynamic bleaching and coloration performance. The triple-layered and substrate-free ECD with excellent flexibility and wearability could serve as futuristic electronics used for multiple purposes, like flexible displays, camouflage wearables and medical monitoring, etc.