Naturally Oxidized EGaIn/SiO<sub>2</sub> Fabric Electrodes for Sustainable Wearable Electronics with High Conductivity and Strain‐Insensitivity

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 (Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) as an interfacial activator. This breakthrough allows us to create highly adhesive EGaIn/SiO<sub>2</sub> composite slurry without relying on synthetic surfactants. The resulting fabric electrodes achieve remarkable performance: conductivity reaches 3.18 × 10<sup>6</sup> S m<sup>-1</sup> 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.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Small
Published
2025-07-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202506001
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.67

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

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

Ziqiang Xu, Pengxin Wang, Qi Sun, Zhaobin Li et al.
1 citations
Small
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
0.67
article

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

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

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 (Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) as an interfacial activator. This breakthrough allows us to create highly adhesive EGaIn/SiO<sub>2</sub> composite slurry without relying on synthetic surfactants. The resulting fabric electrodes achieve remarkable performance: conductivity reaches 3.18 × 10<sup>6</sup> S m<sup>-1</sup> 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.

SmallVol. 21(34)
Anhui University (CN), Guizhou University (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Zhengzhou University (CN), Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province
Responsible consumption and production
Openalex Percentile: Top 30%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
0.67
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.