Self‐Soldering, Stretchable and Self‐Healing Liquid Metal Elastomer Interconnections for Soft Electronics Platforms

ABSTRACT Soft electronics systems are increasingly dependent on direct integration of surface mount devices (SMD) to achieve advanced sensing, computing, and communication functions. Yet, a fundamental bottleneck for assembling highly deformable and durable electronics arises from an inability of the current bonding strategies to maintain stable electro‐mechanical interfaces, together with the inherent strain sensitivity of most soft conductors. Here, we introduce the strain‐insensitive, electrically conductive liquid metal elastomer (ECLME) that incorporates pressure‐sensitive adhesion and autonomous self‐healing to enable robust adhesion for soft electronic platforms. Photothermal activation of ECLME results in heterogeneous liquid metal microparticle‐rich pathways that deliver high conductivity (>20 000 S cm −1 under strain) and extreme stretchability (up to 600%) in fully assembled devices. Optimized self‐soldering interconnects that enable stable and reliable contact with SMDs, maintaining electrical performance under substantial deformation ( R/R 0 < 5 up to 400%) while providing strong mechanical adhesion (pull‐out strength ∼200 kPa). The SMD‐integrated interconnects further maintain ultralow resistance fluctuations during repeated stretching, demonstrating reliable cyclic performance. Together, these combined attributes establish ECLME interconnects as a scalable and practical interconnect platform for next‐generation soft electronic systems requiring mechanically resilient, high‐performance package and chip integration.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Materials Technologies
Published
2026-04-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.70992
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Self‐Soldering, Stretchable and Self‐Healing Liquid Metal Elastomer Interconnections for Soft Electronics Platforms

Mikko Nelo, Jari Hannu, Ahmed Albeltagi, Su Thiri San et al.
Advanced Materials Technologies
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Self‐Soldering, Stretchable and Self‐Healing Liquid Metal Elastomer Interconnections for Soft Electronics Platforms

Mikko Nelo, Jari Hannu, Ahmed Albeltagi, Su Thiri San, Jari Juuti, Jarkko Tolvanen
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Soft electronics systems are increasingly dependent on direct integration of surface mount devices (SMD) to achieve advanced sensing, computing, and communication functions. Yet, a fundamental bottleneck for assembling highly deformable and durable electronics arises from an inability of the current bonding strategies to maintain stable electro‐mechanical interfaces, together with the inherent strain sensitivity of most soft conductors. Here, we introduce the strain‐insensitive, electrically conductive liquid metal elastomer (ECLME) that incorporates pressure‐sensitive adhesion and autonomous self‐healing to enable robust adhesion for soft electronic platforms. Photothermal activation of ECLME results in heterogeneous liquid metal microparticle‐rich pathways that deliver high conductivity (>20 000 S cm −1 under strain) and extreme stretchability (up to 600%) in fully assembled devices. Optimized self‐soldering interconnects that enable stable and reliable contact with SMDs, maintaining electrical performance under substantial deformation ( R/R 0 < 5 up to 400%) while providing strong mechanical adhesion (pull‐out strength ∼200 kPa). The SMD‐integrated interconnects further maintain ultralow resistance fluctuations during repeated stretching, demonstrating reliable cyclic performance. Together, these combined attributes establish ECLME interconnects as a scalable and practical interconnect platform for next‐generation soft electronic systems requiring mechanically resilient, high‐performance package and chip integration.

Advanced Materials Technologies
University of Oulu (FI)
KAUTE-Säätiö, Academy of Finland, Walter Ahlströmin Säätiö
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
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