journal article·2025-08Open access

Naturally Oxidized EGaIn/SiO2 Fabric Electrodes for Sustainable Wearable Electronics with High Conductivity and Strain‐Insensitivity

Fei Wu, Peng Wang, Zhiyi Wu, Zhengxu Zhu, Ziyuan Zhou, Qi Sun, Yuxiu Zhongling, Yunong Zhao, Bing Hu, Zhaobin Li, Ziqiang Xu, Pengxin Wang, Zihan Lin, Weiqiang Hong, Qi Hong, Zhangling Duan, Yuanyu Wang, Xiaohui Guo

Small· Volume 21· Issue 34

Abstract

Abstract The development of environmentally friendly stretchable electrodes that combine high conductivity with mechanical stability remains a critical challenge for sustainable wearable electronics. To address this, liquid metal eutectic gallium‐indium (EGaIn) as the conductive material is utilized. While EGaIn offers excellent conductivity and fluidity, its poor wettability and high surface tension have limited practical applications. An innovative solution is developed by repurposing EGaIn's naturally forming oxide layer (Ga2O3) as an interfacial activator. This breakthrough allows us to create highly adhesive EGaIn/SiO2 composite slurry without relying on synthetic surfactants. The resulting fabric electrodes achieve remarkable performance: conductivity reaches 3.18 × 106 S m−1 with minimal strain sensitivity (gauge factor, GF = 0.0092), maintaining stable function even at 50% tensile strain. After 2500 stretching cycles at 30% strain, the electrodes retain 93% of their initial resistance while withstanding bending, twisting, and stretching deformations. Notably, this stretchable fabric electrode based on natural oxides is successfully integrated into flexible circuits and applied to sign language recognition gloves, enabling stable signal transmission. The electrode replaces conventional surfactants with environmentally friendly materials, providing a sustainable solution for low‐cost, high‐performance wearable electronic devices.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Conducting polymers and applications · Dielectric materials and actuators

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Signal Processing of Ministry of Education School of Integrated Circuits Anhui University Hefei 230601 China

School of Chemical Engineering Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou 450001 China

Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 101400 China

College of Materials and Metallurgy Guizhou University Guiyang 550025 China

Key Laboratory of Intelligent Computing and Signal Processing of Ministry of Education Anhui University Hefei 230601 China

Huadong Photo‐Electron IC Institute Bengbu Anhui 233030 China

Institute of Artificial Intelligence Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Hefei Anhui 230094 China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province

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