Recent advances in encapsulation strategies for flexible transient electronics

Abstract

Transient electronics, designed to dissolve, disintegrate, or degrade in a controlled manner after fulfilling their functions without remaining biologically and environmentally harmful byproducts, have emerged as a transformative paradigm with promising applications in temporary biomedical devices, eco-friendly electronics, and security applications. The success of this device development relies significantly on an effective encapsulation to protect their degradable active materials from environmental factors, such as biofluids and water, and secure reliable device functions throughout a desired lifespan. This review article provides an overview of recent advances in various encapsulation strategies for developing flexible, transient electronics. Details include materials selection, key characteristics, water-barrier capabilities, degradation mechanisms, and relevant applications, categorized into inorganic materials, synthetic/natural polymers, and hybrid composites. In addition, our insights into existing challenges and key perspectives for enhancing encapsulation performance are shared.