Hybrid-Microstructure-Based Soft Network Materials with Independent Tunability of Mechanical Properties over Large Deformations

Introducing auxetic metamaterials into stretchable electronics shows promising prospects for enhancing the performance and innovating the functionalities of various devices, such as stretchable strain sensors. Nevertheless, most existing auxetics fail to meet the requirement of stretchable electronics, which typically include high mechanical flexibility and stable Poisson’s ratio over large deformations. Moreover, despite being highly advantageous for application in diverse load-bearing conditions, achieving tunability of J-shaped stress-strain response independent of negative Poisson’s ratio remains a significant challenge. This paper introduces a class of hybrid-microstructure-based soft network materials (HMSNMs) consisting of different types of microstructures along the loading and transverse directions. The J-shaped stress-strain curve and nonlinear Poisson’s ratio for HMSNMs can be tuned independently of each other. The HMSNM provides much higher strength than the corresponding existing metamaterial while offering a nearly stable negative Poisson’s ratio over large strains. Both mechanical properties under infinitesimal and large deformations can be well-tuned by geometric parameters. Fascinating functionalities such as shape programming and stress regulation are achieved by integrating a set of HMSNMs in series/parallel configurations. A stretchable LED-integrated display capable of displaying dynamic images without distortion under uniaxial stretching serves as a demonstrative application.