Materials and Designs for Power Supply Systems in Skin-Interfaced Electronics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Conventional electronics are rigid, limiting their application in continuous physiological monitoring.
• Developing biocompatible and mechanically adaptable power sources is essential for skin-interfaced devices.
• Existing energy storage and harvesting components lack the flexibility and form factor needed for epidermal integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review materials and device architectures for skin-interfaced power supply systems.
• To highlight advances in stretchable and biocompatible electronics for healthcare applications.
• To discuss challenges and opportunities in developing epidermal power solutions.

Main Methods:

• Overview of design strategies including 1D, 2D, and 3D composite structures and intrinsically stretchable materials.
• Description of energy storage devices (batteries, supercapacitors) and energy harvesting devices (photovoltaic, piezoelectric, triboelectric, thermoelectric).
• Analysis of the relationship between material properties and device performance under deformation.

Main Results:

• Recent research offers biocompatible and mechanically adaptable power devices for stable skin interfaces.
• Examples demonstrate progress in stretchable batteries, supercapacitors, and various energy harvesting technologies.
• Material choices and device architectures are key to performance during physical deformation.

Conclusions:

• Continued fundamental chemical research is vital for advancing skin-interfaced power technologies.
• Further study is needed on how physical deformations impact material properties and system performance.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for developing solutions to global health challenges using these technologies.