Breakthrough in Soft Electronics: Researchers Develop Multi-functional Silicone Composites

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Zhejiang Science Technical University in Hangzhou, China, have made a significant discovery in the field of soft electronics. According to a news report, the team has developed a new type of silicone composite material with robust adhesion, reprocessing and recycling capability, electrical and thermal conductivity, and biocompatibility. This breakthrough is expected to have significant implications for the development of flexible electronics.

Key Takeaways:

  • The researchers developed a new type of silicone composite material using a simultaneous ring-opening reaction of epoxide-functionalized silicone with alpha-lipoic acid.
  • The liquid metal (LM) was incorporated into the composite via -COOH-LM- and -S-LM- coordination.
  • The resultant composite exhibited robust adhesion to various substrates, efficient reprocessability, and recycling capability.
  • Thermal and electrical conductivity reached 2.35 W m-1 K-1 and 19.48 S m-1 for the optimized composite.
  • The composite was successfully used in monitoring body movement.
  • This design offers a new route for creating silicone elastomers with technological implications for flexible electronics.

Statistics:

  • The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Leading Innovative and Entrepreneur Team Introduction Program of Zhejiang, and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University.
  • The research was conducted at Zhejiang Science Technical University in Hangzhou, China.
  • The researchers reported that the composite exhibited a thermal conductivity of 2.35 W m-1 K-1 and electrical conductivity of 19.48 S m-1.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering in 2025.

Sources:

  • Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. A-lipoic-acid-based Multi-functional Silicone Composites for Soft Electronics.
  • NewsRx. Investigators from Zhejiang Science Technical University Zero in on Electronics (A-lipoic-acid-based Multi-functional Silicone Composites for Soft Electronics). Electronics Newsweekly. July 29, 2025; p 1528.