Flexible electrochromic devices for wearable electronics
Qingchao Fan, Zhiyuan Bai, Bingwei Bao, Chengyi Hou, Yaogang Li, Qinghong Zhang, Kerui Li, Hongzhi Wang
Abstract
Wearable flexible electrochromic (EC) technology has garnered significant attention due to its distinctive attributes, including high controllability, low energy consumption, and exceptional mechanical adaptability, demonstrating considerable application potential in wearable devices such as displays, smart eyewear, adaptive camouflage, thermal management systems, and real-time sensing interfaces. Wearable flexible EC devices can be classified into planar devices and fiber devices based on device shape. Bendable and stretchable EC devices inherently accommodate dynamic curved surfaces and biointegrated systems through their structural flexibility. EC fiber, characterized by superior conformability to human contours and wearing comfort, represent a critical research direction for next-generation smart wearable textiles. This review systematically examines material compositions, device architectures, performance metrics, and emerging applications of wearable flexible EC technologies. It provides a comprehensive reference for researchers engaged in the development and functional optimization of advanced EC devices for wearable systems, bridging material innovation with practical implementation in smart textile engineering. • This review highlights advances in flexible electrochromics, device structures, and applications for wearable electronics. • The challenges and future prospects of flexible electrochromic devices in the wearable field are discussed and envisioned.