Highly foldable and leakage-free electrodes enabled by ultrathin liquid metal micromeshes

Gallium-based liquid metals are promising for stretchable electronics and beyond. However, their inherent fluidity and weak structural confinement in conventional films often cause leakage and functional failure under extreme deformation. Here, we report ultrathin liquid metal micromesh electrodes fabricated through interfacial self-assembly of microparticles and subsequent laser sintering. These ultrathin electrodes (minimum thickness: 317 nm) exhibit excellent stretchability (up to 1200%) and foldability, maintaining stable performance after 10,000 folding cycles at a 70 μm bending radius. Their mechanical robustness arises from the unique micromesh architecture that disperses strain and alleviates stress concentration. It also confines the liquid metal within defined pathways, thereby preventing leakage (leakage resistance: 968.75 kPa) and ensuring structural integrity under extreme deformation. Moreover, the micromesh structure endows the electrodes with excellent electrical stability (R/R₀ = 1.66 at 300% strain) and translucency. We demonstrate applications of these electrodes in flexible LED arrays, wireless power transfer, and angular sensing.