Fatigue-free, superstretchable, transparent, and biocompatible metal electrodes

Journal Article · Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1516873112· OSTI ID:1235137

Guo, Chuan Fei ^[1]; Liu, Qihan ^[2]; Wang, Guohui ^[3]; Wang, Yecheng ^[2]; Shi, Zhengzheng ^[4]; Suo, Zhigang ^[2]; Chu, Ching-Wu ^[5]; Ren, Zhifeng ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204,
2. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138,
3. Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030,, Department of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, People’s Republic of China,
4. Department of Translational Imaging, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030,
5. Department of Physics and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204,, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720

Significance Fatigue is a deadly disease for metals. Fatigue often happens under cyclic loading even if the strain level is low. However, a stretchable transparent electrode, which can be made of metal and is a key element in stretchable electronics, needs high stability at large strains. Here we show that Au nanomesh on a slippery substrate is fatigue-free when cyclically stretched to large strains (>100%). Moreover, cells can grow on the Au nanomesh. A metal mesh that conducts electricity, is biocompatible, and is completely free of fatigue will be an ideal electrode not only for flexible electronics, but also for implantable electronics.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: DOE DE-SC0010831/DE-FG02-13ER46917
• OSTI ID: 1235137
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Vol. 112 Journal Issue: 40; ISSN 0027-8424
• Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English