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Updated: Sep 23, 2025

Controlled Strain of 3D Hydrogels under Live Microscopy Imaging
Published on: December 4, 2020
Ultrastretchable and adhesive agarose/Ti3C2Tx-crosslinked-polyacrylamide double-network hydrogel for strain sensor
Tingrui Lin1, Shuangxiao Li2, Yang Hu2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Radiochemistry and Radiation Chemistry Key Laboratory of Fundamental Science, The Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Architectural Coating, Skshu Paint Co., Ltd., 518 North Liyuan Avenue, Licheng District, Putian, Fujian 351100, China.
A new agarose/Ti3C2Tx-crosslinked-polyacrylamide (AG/T-PAM) double-network hydrogel offers exceptional stretchability and adhesion. This advanced material enables highly sensitive and durable strain sensors for wearable electronics and large-scale monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing advanced hydrogels with superior mechanical and sensing properties is crucial for wearable electronics.
- Existing materials often lack the required stretchability, adhesion, or long-term stability for practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel agarose/Ti3C2Tx-crosslinked-polyacrylamide (AG/T-PAM) double-network (DN) hydrogel.
- To evaluate the mechanical, adhesive, and sensing properties of the synthesized DN hydrogel.
- To demonstrate the potential of the AG/T-PAM DN hydrogel in flexible and wearable strain sensors.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized AG/T-PAM DN hydrogel using combined heating-cooling and gamma-ray radiation-induced polymerization.
- Characterized mechanical properties, including 4250% stretchability.
- Measured adhesive strength to copper (1148 kPa at 30°C).
- Evaluated tensile and compression sensing capabilities based on conductive network variations.
Main Results:
- The AG/T-PAM DN hydrogel exhibited excellent stretchability (4250%) and strong adhesion (1148 kPa to copper).
- The hydrogel demonstrated superior tensile and compression sensing properties.
- Wearable strain sensors based on the hydrogel showed rapid response, durability over 1000 cycles, and high sensitivity in monitoring human body movements.
Conclusions:
- The novel AG/T-PAM DN hydrogel offers a promising platform for high-performance flexible and wearable strain sensors.
- Its excellent mechanical properties, adhesion, and sensing capabilities make it suitable for large-scale strain detection.
- This material has broad application potential in advanced electronic devices and human motion monitoring.

