Elastomers for Soft Electronics: A Review from the Material's Perspective

Abstract

Elastomers fall in a distinctive class of flexible and soft materials driven by their long-term load-bearing capability under wide range of static and dynamic stresses, high compliance and stretchability, low cohesive energy density, and low glass transition temperature. Attributing to suitable functionalization, elastomers are coming to the fore and are of utmost importance for the soft electronics domain translating into soft robotics, electronic skins, sensors, displays, health monitoring, energy-harvesting devices, etc. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of different classes of elastomers and functional fillers, highlighting their potential to meet the specific requirements of these advanced applications. The current state-of-the-art feasible fabrication–integration technologies of elastomers for soft electronics are highlighted. The fundamental mechanisms for boosting functionality with the help of polymer–filler interactions leading to several effects like the tunnelling effect, disconnection mechanisms in overlapped composites, crack propagation in thin films, and many more are included with theoretical and experimental evidences. Additionally, this review emphasizes the dynamic mechanical properties of smart elastomers, which are crucial for the durability and robustness of stretchable electronics in the real application field. This review finally reveals the potential of elastomers to be used in soft electronics over a diverse range of applications.