Ultrastretchable and highly sensitive ionic conductive hydrogel for environmentally resistant all-in-one human-motion...

Conductive hydrogels have been considered ideal candidate materials for fabricating human-motion sensors due to their combination properties of electronic and tissue-like soft nature and the similar functions of human skin with mechanical and sensory properties. However, the perfect integration of multiple functionalities such as environmentally tolerant, stretchable, self-adhesive, self-healing, transparent, high sensitivity, and rapid response in one system (all-in-one) is still a significant challenge. Herein, a novel ionic conductive hydrogel platform with excellent comprehensive performance through multiple dynamic interactions was prepared by employing [BMIm]BF₄/glycerol/water ternary solvent system. The dynamic hydrogen bonds, coordination bonds, and electrostatic interaction within the network endows the hydrogel excellent mechanical performance. The synchronous effect of ionic liquids and glycerol realized the high ionic conductivity, transparency, environmentally tolerance, and long-term stability. Sensors based on this hydrogel have a relatively high sensitivity, a fast response time, and a wide linear sensing range in monitoring human movements. It can also serve as electronic skin, like human skin, for touchscreen pen and writing. Thus, the all-in-one hydrogel was concluded to hold considerable promise for constructing the next generation of hydrogel platforms for human-motion sensors.