Advancing the Thin-film Mechanics of Conjugated Polymers: Characterization, Modulation, and Innovation
摘要
Conjugated polymer thin films are key functional layers in flexible and wearable devices, where mechanical behavior directly influences device performance and stability. However, accurate mechanical characterization remains challenging due to their nanoscale thickness and brittleness. This review aims to offer a holistic view on thin-film mechanics of conjugated polymers and systematically summarizes static and dynamic mechanical characterization methods for conjugated polymer thin films, spanning bulk materials, substrate-supported ultrathin films, and freestanding ultrathin films, and elucidates the measurement principles and key features of each technique. By integrating reported experimental results, we identify multiple factors affecting thin-film mechanical behavior. Finally, an outlook is presented in which, guided by devicelevel mechanical requirements, the mechanical behavior of polymer optoelectronic thin films is designed and regulated through multiple strategies, and comprehensively evaluated using complementary mechanical characterization approaches, enabling subsequent optimization based on the measured mechanical response.