Mechanical-Stimuli-Driven Pseudo-Conductive Channels Along Dielectric Heterojunction Interfaces for Mechanoelectric...

Mechanoelectric energy conversion holds promise for energy conversion and transmission devices, yet conventional configurations rely on large-area conductive materials in active regions, limiting architectural design for cutting-edge devices. Here, a rational strategy is reported to create mechanical stimuli-driven pseudo-conductive (MSPC) channels entirely from dielectric materials, eliminating the need for electrodes in active regions. An in-depth investigation of MSPC channel formation mechanism at dielectric interfaces is conducted, employing energy band analyses. Following the mechanical stimuli-driven charging process, MSPC device effectively transmits electrical signals over 42 mm, achieving remarkable 512% enhancement compared to its pristine state. Control devices with non-continuous dielectric configurations highlight the impact of heterojunction interfaces on MSPC channels. A resistor-capacitor charging test reveals up to 49% reduction in voltage change rate, indicating a substantial decrease in electrical impedance along the MSPC channel. Furthermore, MSPC devices demonstrate information transmission capabilities, such as sequences of bits or letters, utilizing solely dielectric configurations. This study paves the way to reduce conductive materials of wearable electronics, biomedical implants, and IoT technologies, overcoming significant challenges such as potential electrical shortages, design inflexibility, limited manufacturing scalability, and maintenance issues.