Interactive deformable electroluminescent devices enabled by an adaptable hydrogel system with...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Soft Electronics
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Deformable electroluminescent devices (DELDS) are crucial for smart soft electronics but face limitations like stimuli-insensitive electroluminescence (EL) and untunable mechanical properties.
• Existing DELDS lack versatile stimuli response, hindering their integration into advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a facile approach for fabricating in situ interactive and multi-stimuli responsive DELDS.
• To achieve tunable optical, photothermal, and mechanical properties in DELDS.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polydopamine (PDA)/graphene oxide (GO) adaptable hydrogel as the top ionic conductor (TIC).
• Utilizing a freezing-salting out-rehydration (FSR) process to transform the TIC between viscoelastic and elastic states.
• Investigating the photothermal response and thickness-dependent light shielding properties of the TIC.

Main Results:

• The developed DELDS exhibit dynamic "on," "off," or "gradually change" EL responses to mechanical and photothermal stimuli.
• DELDS with viscoelastic TIC function as pressure-responsive and laser-engravable EL devices.
• DELDS with elastic TIC demonstrate robust performance under linear and out-of-plane deformation, enabling interactive device and sensor applications.

Conclusions:

• This work presents a novel adaptable hydrogel system for next-generation EL-responsive devices.
• The developed DELDS offer new opportunities for widespread applications in smart electronics and sensors.
• The tunable and stimuli-responsive nature of these DELDS opens avenues for advanced interactive electronic systems.