Could natural rubber be a sustainable resource for next-gen flexible electronics?

Flexible electronics—including wearable devices, stretchable sensors, and soft robotics—require materials that integrate mechanical flexibility, stretchability, and durability with additional attributes like electrical conductivity. A review in the journal Small considers the potential of natural rubber as a sustainable resource to minimize the carbon footprint of flexible electronics.

The authors examine how natural rubber might be used in different types of flexible sensors, self-powered systems, and energy harvesting devices, and they consider possible modifications that might enhance natural rubber’s electrical and mechanical properties. The review also discusses challenges and opportunities associated with natural rubber–based flexible electronics, offering insights into future research and plausible commercial applications.

"For years, my research team has been working on the possibilities of using natural rubber and its derivatives for flexible sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators, and we have seen that the inherent properties of gum material can be tuned to generate a new class of sustainable material-based flexible electronics,” said corresponding author Titash Mondal, PhD, of the Indian Institute of Kharagpur. “We are working towards understanding further fundamentals associated with such a system and are making efforts to have an effective lab-to-market transition through appropriate partners.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smll.202506264

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Small is a nanoscience & nanotechnology journal providing the very best forum for fundamental and interdisciplinary applied research at the nano- and microscale, covering chemistry, energy, physical & materials science, engineering, and biomedical and life sciences. Among other topics, the journal covers nanotechnology, organic electronics, nanostructures, and materials such as graphene.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.