Stretchable, Phase-Transformable Ionogels with Reversible Ionic Conductor-Insulator Transition

Stretchable iontronics with reversible conductor-insulator transitions are attracting great interest due to their promising applications in various fields of flexible electronics. However, effective conductivity switching of the ion conductors is still challenging. Here, a phase-transformable ionogel (PTIG) that shows a reversible conductor-insulator transition with a very sharp change in bulk ionic conductivity (approximate to 10(7)times) at a mild transition temperature of -15 degrees C is introduced. Moreover, this unique material shows good stretchability (840%), high transparency (97% transmittance in the visible range), and good stability. The ionogel material is used to prepare a long-storage capacitor, which demonstrates good performance. Hence, the new PTIG has the potential for application in the development of flexible iontronics.