The increasing demand for devices that are deformable, wearable, or implantable has been driving the development of functional materials that are additionally compliant and repeatedly stretchable. I will introduce our recent efforts in developing elastomeric dielectrics, semiconductors, and conductors. The formation of interpenetrating networks and other microstructural control techniques are used to (1) enhance the electromehcanical responses of dielectric elastomers, (2) protect the conductive percolation network of silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes at large-strain deformations, and (3) to impart elastic deformability to semiconductor materials that are otherwise not stretchy. Explorations of devices incorporating these materials will also be presented.
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