Soft Matter-Enabled Electrochemiluminescence: From Interfacial Kinetics to Scenario-Driven Applications

Abstract

Deploying electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors beyond controlled laboratory settings remains a formidable challenge. Rigid devices often lose signal reliability in complex environments because they cannot adapt to mechanical deformation or chemical fluctuations. Recent developments in soft matter components, such as ionic liquids, hydrogels, and polymer networks, have enabled adaptation through mechanical compliance and precise modulation of the physicochemical microenvironment. Current paradigms largely limit soft matter to the role of a passive additive. In contrast, we suggest that it represents a fundamental architectural element. Rather than listing materials, this review extracts structure-function design principles to construct robust sensing platforms. By fundamentally regulating complex ion dynamics and mass transport, soft matter addresses critical commercialization bottlenecks, particularly long-term operational stability. We demonstrate that scenario-driven architectures use soft components to balance sensitivity with structural robustness, outperforming traditional analytical methods in real-world environments. This architecture resolves the stability issues commonly found in traditional rigid devices. Advances in soft matter chemistry are driving developments in wearable sensing and bio-fluid analysis, with interfacial regulation emerging as a key innovation. In the future, combining soft matter with AI-driven design and scalable manufacturing will be key to moving ECL technology from laboratory concepts to broad industrial applications.