Liquid metal–hydrogel composites for flexible electronics

Abstract

As an emerging functional material, liquid metal–hydrogel composites exhibit excellent biosafety, high electrical conductivity, tunable mechanical properties and good adhesion, thus providing a unique platform for a wide range of flexible electronics applications such as wearable devices, medical devices, actuators, and energy conversion devices. Through different composite methods, liquid metals can be integrated into hydrogel matrices to form multifunctional composite material systems, which further expands the application range of hydrogels. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the two materials: hydrogels and liquid metals, and discuss the synthesis method of liquid metal–hydrogel composites, focusing on the improvement of the performance of hydrogel materials by liquid metals. In addition, we summarize the research progress of liquid metal–hydrogel composites in the field of flexible electronics, pointing out the current challenges and future prospects of this material.