Functionalization of Fiber Devices: Materials, Preparations and Applications

Conventional electronic devices with bulky and rigid features cannot fully meet the requirements of flexibility and wearability in wearable applications. Fiber-shaped electronic devices have been intensively pursued in the past decade attributed to their excellent flexibility, weavability and wearability. The innovation of novel functions has been widely recognized as an emerging direction of fiber-shaped electronic devices, pursuing a better adaptability and longer lifetime in practical applications. In this Review, we summarize the recent advances of functional fiber devices, focusing on the preparation of functional fiber electrodes and electrolytes, as well as the formed interfaces. Fiber devices with a variety of novel functions are systematically introduced, including but not limited to stretchability, healability, shape memory and electrochromism. The remaining challenges and opportunities are also discussed to propose future directions for functionalization of fiber electronics.