Mechanical designs employing buckling physics for reversible and omnidirectional stretchability in microsupercapacitor arrays

ABSTRACT Stretchable electronics draw widespread attention with reported applications in various sectors, including health care, optoelectronics, and energy. However, irreversible interconnect deformation and direction-dependent stretchability may greatly limit the longevity and functionality of many stretchable systems operating under multidirectional, repetitive loading and unloading conditions. In this work, we introduce mechanical designs that can significantly enhance reversible, omnidirectional stretchability in a typical microsupercapacitor array. Simulation results from a series of computational studies demonstrate that structural buckling followed by out-of-plane deformation of interconnects are the fundamental physical mechanisms responsible for the increased stretchability. The present analytical methodology provides a computational framework for the effective design of other electronic systems with demanding deformability requirements. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT This manuscript contains original work on stretchable electronic devices designed to sustain reversible and omnidirectional excessive stretching, bending, and twisting of supercapacitor arrays by the physics of structural buckling