Issue 42, 2023

Sustainable stretchable batteries for next-generation wearables

Abstract

Next-generation wearables will interface intimately with the human body either on-skin, implanted or woven into clothing. This requires electrical components that match the mechanical properties of biological tissues – stretchability (up to 60% strain) and softness (Young's modulus of ∼1 kPa to 1 MPa). As wearables become increasingly complex, the energy and mechanical requirements will increase, and an integrated power supply unit such as a soft and stretchable battery is needed to achieve autonomy and wireless operation. However, two key challenges remain for current stretchable battery technology: the mechanical performance (softness and stretchability) and its relation to the size and charge storage capacity (challenge I), and the sustainability and biocompatibility of the battery materials and its components (challenge II). Integrating all these factors into the battery design often leads to a trade-off between the various properties. This perspective will evaluate current strategies for achieving sustainable stretchable batteries and provide a discussion on possible avenues for future research.

Graphical abstract: Sustainable stretchable batteries for next-generation wearables

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
13 Jun 2023
Accepted
18 Sep 2023
First published
20 Sep 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023,11, 22718-22736

Sustainable stretchable batteries for next-generation wearables

A. Rahmanudin, Z. Khan, K. Tybrandt and N. Kim, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 22718 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA03482H

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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