Printable Liquid‐Metal@PDMS Stretchable Heater with High Stretchability and Dynamic Stability for Wearable Thermotherapy

• DOI: 10.1002/admt.201800435
• Publication Date: 2018-11-06T08:17:46Z
• Authors: Yuxin Wang; Zhe Yu; Guoyong Mao; Yiwei Liu; Gang Liu; Jie Shang; Shaoxing Qu; Qingming Chen; Run‐Wei Li
• Keywords: Polydimethylsiloxane; Conductive ink; Wearable Technology; Heating element

Abstract As a type of flexible electronics, wearable heaters have attracted broad attention because their giant potential market value, such as for use in thermotherapy. Wearable are required to simultaneously possess high stretchability and dynamic stability, order realize joints or muscles thermotherapy during exercising. Here, high‐performance electrically driven heater using the conductive composite liquid‐metal (LM) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported, which patterned sinusoidal structure by printing technology direct ink writing. Because LM chosen active material, LM@PDMS stretchable possesses (>100% strain) good conductivity (1.81 × 10 3 S cm −1 ). It also exhibits superb due 3D network matrix composite. While being stretched strain level 100%, heating temperature variation less than 8%. This relatively low several times smaller that existing at same large levels. demonstrated worn on knee joint works well strenuous exercise, thus proving great