Enhancing the Stability of Stretchable Buckling Electrodes by Incorporating a Sulfhydryl-Anchored Interface with Disordered Pores for Deformable Electronics

Stretchable electrodes have received rising attention due to their potential applications in flexible and wearable devices. However, the mechanical instability of stretchable electrodes limits their practical applications. Here, we demonstrate an efficient approach to enhancing the stability of stretchable serpentine-shaped electrodes by incorporating a sulfhydryl-anchored interface with disordered cones. The sulfhydryl-anchored interface provides strong adhesion (2.3 MPa) between the gold electrode and polymer substrate, while the disordered cones allow for deformation of the electrode with less cracks or fractures. By using this synergistic strategy, the electrode exhibits a large tensile limit exceeding 50% uniaxial tensile and superior electrical stability from 6.3 to 11.5 Ω under 20% uniaxial tensile for more than 200 cycles. Our approach has the potential for foldable electronics and health monitoring.