Strain-Insensitive Pre-Stretch-Stabilized Polymer/Gold Hybrid Electrodes for Electrochemiluminescent Devices

The quest for stretchable properties is at the forefront of research dedicated to on-skin light–emitting devices. Inspired by the natural wonders of bioluminescence, electrochemiluminescent devices (ECLDs) are distinguished by straightforward design and reduced operating voltage, marking a departure from traditional current-driven electroluminescent devices (ACELDs). The primary challenge of fully-stretchable ECLDs lies in crafting electrodes that simultaneously satisfy the demands for conductivity, transparency, stretchability, oxidation resistance, and interface stability. This research introduces a groundbreaking wrinkled polymer-gold composite electrode. It extends to 50% stretchability, offers outstanding conductivity at 10 Ω sq⁻¹, achieves transparency above 60%, and withstands over 10 000 stretching cycles. Employing this material, alongside stretchable electrospinning fiber luminescent layers, enabled the creation of fully-stretchable ECLDs. These devices not only shine brightly at 30 Cd m⁻² but also retain more than 90% of luminosity when stretched up to 50%. Furthermore, this work has engineered stretchable devices featuring singular patterns and multi-dot arrays. They exhibit consistent luminescent output under bending, twisting, and stretching when applied to skin. These findings not only highlight the potential of polymer-gold composite electrodes in overcoming challenges faced by stretchable electronic devices but also provide new ideas for wearable technology that seamlessly integrates with human body.