Low-Hysteresis Cellulose-Based Hydrogels for Strain Detecting

Hydrogels are promising materials for wearable and flexible electronics, yet combining low mechanical hysteresis with high renewable content remains a key challenge. Here, we report a cellulose-based hydrogel with low hysteresis, enabled by incorporating dialcohol nanocellulose (DANC) into a polyacrylamide (PAAM) network. The flexible, hydroxyl-rich DANC chains form abundant reversible hydrogen bonds with the PAAM matrix, allowing the hydrogel to achieve an unprecedented cellulose content of ∼15 wt.% while maintaining stretchability and mechanical robustness. The PAAM/DANC hydrogels display low mechanical hysteresis and high durability during 1000 cyclic strains, with stable mechanical and sensing performance. In addition, the hydrogels exhibit reliable strain sensitivity with a gauge factor of 1.1 and consistent signal output under varying strains. Finally, we demonstrate their potential in wearable strain sensing by detecting complex human motions. This work presents a sustainable strategy to design high-performance cellulose-based hydrogels, advancing their application in next-generation wearable electronics.