Self-Sensing, Ultralight, and Conductive 3D Graphene/Iron Oxide Aerogel Elastomer Deformable in a Magnetic Field

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogels (GA) show promise for applications in supercapacitors, electrode materials, gas sensors, and oil absorption due to their high porosity, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity. However, the control, actuation, and response properties of graphene aerogels have not been well studied. In this paper, we synthesized 3D graphene aerogels decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4/GA) by self-assembly of graphene with simultaneous decoration by Fe3O4 nanoparticles using a modified hydrothermal reduction process. The aerogels exhibit up to 52% reversible magnetic field-induced strain and strain-dependent electrical resistance that can be used to monitor the degree of compression/stretching of the material. The density of Fe3O4/GA is only about 5.8 mg cm(-3), making it an ultralight magnetic elastomer with potential applications in self-sensing soft actuators, microsensors, microswitches, and environmental remediation.