A Durable Metalgel Maintaining 3×10⁶ S∙M^‒1 Conductivity under 1 000 000 Stretching Cycles.

Abstract

Conductive elastomers are in high demand for emerging fields such as wearable electronics and soft robotics. However, it remains unavailable to realize the desired metal-level conductivity after extensive stretching cycles, which is a necessity for the above promising application. Here, a new material is presented that employs an elastic, homogeneous, and dense waterborne polyurethane network to immobilize the liquid metal continuum via electrostatic interactions. This new design enables the liquid metal continuum to deform synchronously and reversibly with the polymer network, preserving its conductive structure and significantly enhancing durability. The resulting durable metalgel exhibits conductivity of 3 × 10⁶ S∙m^-1, which remains stable after 1 000 000 stretching cycles. This work overcomes the performance limitations of current conductive elastomers and unlocks new opportunities for cutting-edge applications in wearable technology and robotics.