Meter-scale heterostructure printing for high-toughness fiber electrodes in intelligent digital apparel

Gun-Hee Lee, Yunheum Lee, Hyeonyeob Seo, Kyunghyun Jo, Jinwook Yeo, Semin Kim, Jae-Young Bae, Chul Kim, Carmel Majidi, Jiheong Kang, Seung-Kyun Kang, Seunghwa Ryu and Seongjun Park ()
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Gun-Hee Lee: Seoul National University
Yunheum Lee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Hyeonyeob Seo: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Kyunghyun Jo: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Jinwook Yeo: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Semin Kim: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Jae-Young Bae: Seoul National University
Chul Kim: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Carmel Majidi: Carnegie Mellon University
Jiheong Kang: Seoul National University, Seoul
Seung-Kyun Kang: Seoul National University
Seunghwa Ryu: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Seongjun Park: Seoul National University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Intelligent digital apparel, which integrates electronic functionalities into clothing, represents the future of healthcare and ubiquitous control in wearable devices. Realizing such apparel necessitates developing meter-scale conductive fibers with high toughness, conductivity, stable conductance under deformation, and mechanical durability. In this study, we present a heterostructure printing method capable of producing meter-scale (~50 m) biphasic conductive fibers that meet these criteria. Our approach involves encapsulating deformable liquid metal particles (LMPs) within a functionalized thermoplastic polyurethane matrix. This encapsulation induces in situ assembly of LMPs during fiber formation, creating a heterostructure that seamlessly integrates the matrix’s durability with the LMPs’ superior electrical performance. Unlike rigid conductive materials, deformable LMPs offer stretchability and toughness with a low gauge factor. Through precise twisting using an engineered annealing machine, multiple fiber strands are transformed into robust, electrically stable meter-scale electrodes. This advancement enhances their practicality in various intelligent digital apparel applications, such as stretchable displays, wearable healthcare systems, and digital controls.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59703-4

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