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Liquid Metal-Reinfored Hierarchically Aligned Double-Network Hydrogels: Ultrahigh Crack/Fatigue Resistance and
Pengcheng Cui1, Jiadong Chen1, Rouling Chen1
1South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Emergent Soft Matter, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|January 30, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed tough, fatigue-resistant, and conductive anisotropic double-network (DN) hydrogels using a pre-alignment and cross-linking strategy. These advanced soft hydrogels show promise for wearable stretchable devices and motion monitoring sensors.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Soft hydrogels are ideal for wearable electronics due to flexibility and biocompatibility.
- Existing hydrogels face challenges with crack propagation and fatigue failure, limiting device longevity.
- Biological tissues offer inspiration for creating robust and adaptable materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel anisotropic double-network (DN) hydrogel with enhanced mechanical properties and conductivity.
- To address the limitations of existing soft hydrogels in terms of toughness and fatigue resistance.
- To explore the potential of these hydrogels in wearable stretchable devices and sensors.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hierarchically anisotropic DN hydrogels via pre-alignment and cross-linking.
- Incorporation of deformable liquid metal (LM) particles into the hydrogel matrix.
- Characterization of mechanical properties (fracture energy, fatigue threshold, modulus) and electrical conductivity.
Main Results:
- Achieved high fracture energy (60.6 kJ m⁻²) and ultrahigh fatigue threshold (5560 J m⁻²).
- Maintained a human skin-matching modulus (1.3 MPa).
- Demonstrated high conductivity enabling use as stretchable sensors for motion monitoring.
Conclusions:
- The developed anisotropic DN hydrogels exhibit superior toughness, fatigue resistance, and conductivity.
- The pre-alignment and LM particle strategy effectively suppresses crack propagation and enhances stress transfer.
- These advanced hydrogels represent a significant step forward for applications in wearable electronics and soft robotics.
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