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Robust versatile nanocellulose/polyvinyl alcohol/carbon dot hydrogels for biomechanical sensing
Zhiqi Wang1, Fangchao Cheng2, Hangchuan Cai1
1Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Nonferrous Metallic and Featured Materials, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|March 6, 2021
Summary
A novel nanocellulose/poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon dot (NPC) hydrogel offers self-healing, fluorescence, and mechanical strength. This advanced hydrogel enables precise, real-time sensing of pressure and glucose, showcasing potential for bio-mechanical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing multifunctional hydrogels is crucial for advanced sensing applications.
- Existing materials often lack the combination of self-healing, tunable fluorescence, and mechanical robustness.
- There is a need for bio-inspired materials for integrated biomechanical sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate a novel nanocellulose/poly(vinyl alcohol)/carbon dot (NPC) multifunctional hydrogel.
- To investigate the hydrogel's self-healing, fluorescence, and mechanical properties.
- To evaluate the hydrogel's performance as a capacitive sensor for pressure and glucose detection.
Main Methods:
- One-step in-situ hydrothermal fabrication of the NPC hydrogel.
- Characterization of the hydrogel's network structure, including hydrogen bonding and boric acid ester linkages.
- Mechanical testing to determine tensile strength.
- Evaluation of self-healing capabilities at room temperature.
- Fabrication and testing of an NPC hydrogel-based capacitive sensor for pressure, strain, and glucose sensing.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of a multifunctional NPC hydrogel with a complex network structure.
- The hydrogel exhibited room-temperature self-healing, double-emission fluorescence, and high mechanical strength (up to 2.98 MPa).
- The NPC hydrogel sensor demonstrated linear capacitance responsiveness to pressure, strain, and glucose concentration.
- Real-time synchronous quantitative sensing of pressure and glucose was achieved with multiple linear correlations.
Conclusions:
- The developed NPC hydrogel possesses a unique combination of desirable properties, including self-healing, fluorescence, and mechanical strength.
- The hydrogel's excellent performance as a capacitive sensor highlights its potential for advanced biomechanical sensing.
- This work demonstrates the viability of using natural cellulosic biomass for creating versatile and high-performance bio-mechanical sensing materials.
