This paper introduces a soft dielectric heater (SDH) using polyvinyl chloride-gel (PVC-gel) as the dielectric and hydrogel as stretchable electrodes. Dielectric heating, caused by leakage current in the PVC-gel, generates heat uniformly even under 400% strain. High transmittance (over 86%) makes it suitable for wearable applications. Its capacitor-like structure allows scalable design, demonstrated with a 5x5 array delivering varied thermal sensations even when stretched. The SDH addresses limitations of existing stretchable and transparent heaters by combining high performance with excellent mechanical and optical properties.

Minki Kim, Minjae Cho, Chongyoung Chung, Ki-Uk Kyung