Stretchable microbatteries and microsupercapacitors for next-generation wearable electronics

Abstract

Stretchable energy-storage devices are required to power next-generation wearable electronics intimately integrated with the human body. The microbatteries and microsupercapacitors represent promising candidates featuring small footprints and facile system integration. This perspective reviews common strategies to convert conventional rigid devices into stretchable forms. Several prototype soft electronic systems are presented utilizing microbatteries and microsupercapacitors as power sources. We discuss the current challenges and perspectives of the stretchable microbattery and microsupercapacitor. Stretchable forms of miniaturized energy-storage devices often show a significant trade-off between mechanical deformability and electrochemical performances, which present attractive opportunities for the material and engineering community.