A New Class of Electronic Devices Based on Flexible Porous Substrates

• Published in: Advanced science 2022-03, Vol.9 (7), p.e2105084-n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yiyuan, Zhang, Tengyuan, Huang, Zhandong, Yang, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biocompatibility; Biodegradable materials; breathability; Copyright; Crack propagation; deformability; electronic device; Electronics; Flexibility; flexible porous substrate; Humans; Nanofibers; Permeability; Polymers - chemistry; pore structure; Porosity; Porous materials; Retention; Review; Reviews; Sensors; Stress concentration; User experience; Wearable Electronic Devices
• ISSN: 2198-3844; 2198-3844
• DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105084

With the advent of the Internet of Things era, the connection between electronic devices and humans is getting closer and closer. New‐concept electronic devices including e‐skins, nanogenerators, brain–machine interfaces, and implantable medical devices, can work on or inside human bodies, calling for wearing comfort, super flexibility, biodegradability, and stability under complex deformations. However, conventional electronics based on metal and plastic substrates cannot effectively meet these new application requirements. Therefore, a series of advanced electronic devices based on flexible porous substrates (e.g., paper, fabric, electrospun nanofibers, wood, and elastic polymer sponge) is being developed to address these challenges by virtue of their superior biocompatibility, breathability, deformability, and robustness. The porous structure of these substrates can not only improve device performance but also enable new functions, but due to their wide variety, choosing the right porous substrate is crucial for preparing high‐performance electronics for specific applications. Herein, the properties of different flexible porous substrates are summarized and their basic principles of design, manufacture, and use are highlighted. Subsequently, various functionalization methods of these porous substrates are briefly introduced and compared. Then, the latest advances in flexible porous substrate‐based electronics are demonstrated. Finally, the remaining challenges and future directions are discussed. The progress of various flexible porous substrate‐based electronics is systematically reviewed with a focus on the role and impact of porous structure on device performance. Different functionalization methods and advanced electronic devices on flexible porous substrates are demonstrated. The key challenges and future directions for developing a new generation of electronics on flexible porous substrates are also proposed.