Electrically Conductive 2D Material Coatings for Flexible and Stretchable Electronics: A Comparative Review of Graphenes and MXenes

There is growing interest in transitioning electronic components and circuitry from stiff and rigid substrates to more flexible and stretchable platforms, such as thin plastics, textiles, and foams. In parallel, the push for more sustainable, biocompatible, and cost-efficient conductive inks to coat these substrates has led to the development of formulations with novel nanomaterials. Among these, 2D materials, particularly graphene and MXenes, have received intense research interest due to their increasingly facile and scalable production, high electrical conductivity, and compatibility with existing manufacturing techniques. They enable a range of electronic devices, including strain and pressure sensors, supercapacitors, thermoelectric generators, and heaters. These new flexible and stretchable electronic devices developed with 2D material coatings are poised to unlock exciting applications in the wearable, healthcare and Internet of Things sectors. This review surveys key data from more than 200 articles published over the past 6 years to provide a quantitative analysis of recent progress in the field and shed light on future directions and prospects of this technology. It is found that despite the different chemical origins of graphene and MXenes, their shared electrical properties and 2D morphology guarantee intriguing performance in end applications, leaving plenty of space for shared progress and advancements in the future.