Conducting gels: A chronicle of technological advances

In the modern era of technological advances, soft electronics has emerged as a subject of cutting-edge research for the fabrication of stretchable and flexible electronic devices. Conducting gels act as a protagonist in the field of soft electronics, as they deftly harness the electrical and optical properties of metals or semiconductors with the viscoelastic properties of gels, thus creating an inherent network of conducting micro/nanostructures. The presence of such splendid collective properties endow these conducting gels with prolific applications like energy conversion and storage, sensors, medical and bio-devices, actuators, superhydrophobic coatings etc. In this review, we have traversed a voyage through different categories of conducting gels, e.g. ion conducting gels, conducting polymer gels and supramolecular conducting gels. We have meticulously discussed their preparation and applications with particular emphasis on their conducting properties. The possible applications of these gels are also presented delineating their specific choices to different technologies. We have also tried to offer a scope of future development in this rapidly developing field.