Conformal, transparent, and efficient MXene grid antennas for flexible wireless electronics
Abstract
Next-generation internet of things (IoT) wireless electronics require antennas that are conformal, transparent, and electromagnetically efficient, yet these attributes form an impossible trinity. Here, we realize the first Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene–based conformal, transparent, and high-performance antenna through an optimized nanoimprint lithography-blading technique. Nanoimprinted MXene grid transparent conductive film (TCF) achieves an exceptional balance of low sheet resistance (4.32 ohms per square) at high transmittance (~89.1%) with promising flexibility. Two representative scenarios in IoT networks are selected to demonstrate the versatility of this TCF. For personal devices, the efficient MXene transparent dipole antenna enables a quasi-transparent wireless wearable device for long-distance and real-time communication (>30 meters). For fixed infrastructure, MXene-based digital coding metasurface enables high-quality wireless communication, maintaining a low bit error rate (~0.15%) even in a curved state. This work establishes MXene as a versatile platform that successfully merges conformal transparency and high electromagnetic performance, paving the way for next-generation imperceptible IoT wireless systems.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies
MXene and MAX Phase Materials
Electromagnetic wave absorption materials
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Science Advances
- Publisher
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 24
- Pages
- eaee8104–eaee8104
- Publication date
- 12 June 2026
- Language
- EN