Self‐Healable, Recyclable Anisotropic Conductive Films of Liquid Metal‐Gelatin Hybrids for Soft Electronics

Abstract

Abstract This paper reports an unconventional approach for the formation of self‐healable and recyclable anisotropic conductive films (ACFs) using soft composites of gelatin hydrogels and liquid metals (LMs). The capsules of LMs dispersed inside the gelatin matrix can present satisfactory anisotropic conductance for electrical connections of vertically aligned, fine electrodes at room temperature by applying compressive pressures. The minimization of the capsule size as well as the softness of these LM‐gelatin hybrid ACFs enables high‐resolution integrations of deformable electronic systems, which can increase the integrity of freeform devices. In addition, the good fluidity of LMs and strong hydrogen bonding in gelatin enable these ACFs to be self‐healable at ambient conditions and even recyclable with no significant degradations in either their original electrical or mechanical properties. The utilization of these ACFs to integrate multiple interconnections of micro‐light‐emitting diode arrays on a soft elastomeric substrate demonstrates a stretchable display with its reliable operations during mechanical deformations, suggesting a promising strategy for next‐generation freeform and eco‐friendly green electronics.

Keywords

• green electronics
• hydrogels
• liquid metals
• self‐healing
• soft electronics