Stretchable, transparent, and water-resistive touch panel using ion gel

Flexible touch panels have garnered significant attention for use in smart devices. However, their usability can be further improved. A touch panel that is highly stretchable and usable in water can be formed into complex shapes and used under various environments. Herein, we report a conductive polyvinyl chloride ion-gel sensor for a stretchable touch panel. This material is highly transparent (approximately 90%), highly stretchable (more than 250% strain), and maintains its mass and shape after 12 days (non-volatile). Because all components of the ion-gel device are insoluble in water, they can operate as a stretchable touch panel in underwater conditions. In this study, we fabricate a touch strap and a touch panel and then investigate their performances under various conditions (initial, stretched, and underwater conditions). The ion-gel device maintains its usability as a touch strap and touch panel even after it is soaked in water and subsequently dried.