Liquid-metal textile electronics exhibit exceptional electrical conductivity, with breathability and wearer comfort unmatched by traditional patches. However, the intrinsically high surface tension of liquid metals promotes interfacial failure during sustained sweating, rubbing, and deformation, resulting in severe signal degradation. This problem is further exacerbated on cotton substrates with better sweat absorption and skin compatibility, as the dense lint layer hinders uniform wetting and integration. To address this, we engineered the wettability and surface functionality of eutectic gallium−indium liquid metals using biogenic inositol hexaphosphate and applied mechano-chemical treatment to anchor the liquid-metal conductive micronetworks onto cotton fibers via hydrogen-coordination bonds. This yields interfaces stable through 15,000 mechanical deformation cycles, 7-day water/sweat immersion, and 120 min of high-speed laundering. In electrophysiological monitoring, the signal-to-noise ratio remains at 22.82 dB after repeated wear, exposure, and contamination, outperforming commercial gel electrodes (12.70 dB). In endurance and strength training, the device captures precise electrophysiological features and anomalies, demonstrating strong potential for future real-time physiological risk assessment in dynamic athletic settings.
Pan et al. (2026) studied this question.