Electroless Deposition Metals on Poly(dimethylsiloxane) with Strong Adhesion As Flexible and Stretchable Conductive Materials

A new surface modification method is developed for electroless deposition of robust metal (copper, nickel, silver) layers on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate with strong adhesion. Under the synergies of the polydopamine (PDA), the plasma process enhances Ag+ reduction, and a thin Ag film is capable of tightly attaching to the PDMS surface, which catalyzes electroless deposition (ELD) to form robust metal layers on the PDMS surface with strong adhesion. Subsequently, a flexible and stretchable Cu-PDMS conductor is obtained through this method, showing excellent metallic conductivity of 1.2 × 107 S m–1, even at the longest stretch strain (700%). This process provides a successful strategy for obtaining good robust metal layers on PDMS and other polymer substrate surfaces with strong adhesion and conductivity.