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Bioinspired multifunctional conductive hydrogel based on hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose for flexible sensors
Hongtian Yan1, Haonan Gu1, Shizhou Lu2
1Marine College, Shandong University (Weihai), Wenhua West Rd., Weihai, Shandong Province 264209, PR China.
Carbohydrate Polymers
|September 14, 2025
Summary
This study developed a new conductive hydrogel using HPMC, AM, SMA, TCNCs, and MXene. The material offers superior flexibility, toughness, and self-healing for advanced flexible sensors and handwriting recognition systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Conductive hydrogels are crucial for flexible sensors but face challenges in achieving superior mechanical properties, anti-fracture toughness, and multifunctionality.
- Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) based hydrogels offer low cost and good biocompatibility but require enhancement for demanding applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a multifunctional conductive hydrogel with enhanced flexibility, toughness, self-healing, and antibacterial properties.
- To create advanced flexible sensors for monitoring human motion, writing, and temperature.
- To fabricate a hydrogel-based handwriting keyboard for intelligent handwriting recognition systems.
Main Methods:
- Micellar polymerization of acrylamide (AM) and stearyl methacrylate (SMA) in the presence of HPMC, tunicate cellulose nanocrystals (TCNCs), and silver-coated MXene nanosheets.
- Characterization of hydrogel properties including modulus, stretchability, toughness, and conductivity.
- Fabrication and testing of strain, pressure, and temperature sensors, and a handwriting keyboard.
Main Results:
- The developed hydrogel exhibits remarkable softness (10.04 kPa modulus), high stretchability (4520%), and excellent anti-fracture toughness (6.128 MJ/m³).
- The hydrogel demonstrates biocompatibility, self-healing, adhesion, photothermal antibacterial activity, and conductivity.
- Sensors achieved high sensitivity (strain gauge factor: 7.57, pressure sensitivity: 2.96 kPa⁻¹, TCR: -2.47 %/°C) for real-time monitoring and a functional handwriting keyboard was created.
Conclusions:
- This study presents a novel, multifunctional conductive hydrogel with superior mechanical and functional properties.
- The developed material shows significant potential for environmentally friendly flexible sensors and intelligent human-computer interaction systems.
- The findings pave the way for advanced applications in wearable electronics and biomedical devices.
