A brief review on flexible thin mechano- and enviro-sensors developed using electrohydrodynamic techniques
Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) technologies provide scalable, solution-based approaches for fabricating thin, flexible electronic sensors through electric-field-driven control of liquids and functional materials. EHD processes are governed by the interplay among electric stresses, surface tension, viscous or viscoelastic forces, and charge transport in weakly conducting fluids, enabling jetting, atomization, and deposition at micro- and nano-meter scales. This review summarizes recent progress in flexible thin mechano- and enviro-sensors enabled by electrospinning, electrospray, and EHD inkjet printing. We outline key physics of EHDs, including leaky-dielectric behavior, interfacial charging, Taylor cone formation, and jet evolution, which determine process stability and feature size. Electrospinning produces compliant nanofiber networks via electrically driven jet thinning. Electrospray enables uniform, conformal thin-film coatings through charge-mediated atomization. EHD inkjet printing operates in a stability-controlled regime, allowing mask-free patterning with sub-nozzle resolution. Applications in pressure, strain, vibration, humidity, temperature, and gas sensing are discussed with emphasis on structure–property–performance relationships relevant to flexible electronic devices.
Authors
- Hojae Kim
- Freddy Baltazar Iniguez
- Seongpil An (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4369-5442)
- Dong Jin Kang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3351-3289)
- Kiyong Kim
- Peijin Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2009-4153)
Institutions
- Samsung (South Korea) (KR)
- Japan Display (Japan) (JP)
- Institute of Nanotechnology (GB)
- Sungkyunkwan University (KR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- APL Electronic Devices
- Published
- 2026-04-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0325138
- Primary Topic
- Electrohydrodynamics and Fluid Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy