Trident-chain architectonics in polyurea organogels for ultra-stretchable multifunctional E-skins

Hydrogels frequently suffer from low-temperature freezing, high-temperature dehydration, and compromised environmental stability. In contrast, organogels demonstrate superior environmental tolerance and structural designability. Herein, a polyurea organogel (denoted PUA-D_xT_y) featuring a trident-chain molecular architecture was synthesized through the polymerization of isocyanate and polyetheramine. By varying the number of functional groups per polyetheramine, dynamic control over crosslinking density and mechanical properties was achieved. The optimized PUA-D₈T₂ sample exhibited a tensile strength of 178.33 kPa and an ultrahigh elongation of 1838 %, representing 2.3-fold and 4.1-fold enhancements over conventional hydrogels, and significantly surpassing many existing organogels. Besides, this organogel also integrates multifunctional capabilities including strong adhesion to diverse substrates, retention of flexibility/elasticity under harsh conditions, excellent solvent recyclability, and autonomous self-healing enabled by dynamic hydrogen-bond networks. A flexible sensor fabricated by coating the gel surface with a graphene conductive layer accurately monitors multiscale human motions (e.g., finger flexion, wrist rotation) and enables encrypted information transmission via Morse code. This work establishes a novel organogel material platform for environmentally stable flexible electronics, demonstrating significant potential in next-generation electronic skins through its synergistic combination of multifunctional capabilities.