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Published on: June 16, 2023
High-Performance Iontronic Hydrogel Acoustic Sensor for Low-Frequency Underwater Sound Detection and Intelligent
Jiawei Zhao1,2, Honglei Zhou1,2, Tongqiang Fu3
1Zhengzhou Advanced Research Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
Research (Washington, D.C.)
|June 1, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel capacitive hydrogel acoustic sensor (CHAS) for improved low-frequency underwater sound detection. The sensor utilizes an iontronic structure and advanced circuitry to accurately capture and analyze faint acoustic signals.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Acoustics
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Low-frequency underwater sound detection is limited by conventional hydrophones' poor acoustic-mechanical-electrical coupling.
- Inefficient signal conversion hinders the capture of weak pressure fluctuations in underwater environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an advanced sensor for enhanced low-frequency underwater acoustic monitoring.
- To overcome the limitations of conventional hydrophones in detecting subtle underwater sounds.
Main Methods:
- Development of a capacitive hydrogel acoustic sensor (CHAS) featuring a micro-pyramid iontronic structure.
- Utilizing dynamic electric double layer (EDL) effects for improved low-frequency transduction.
- Integration with a phase-sensitive lock-in amplification circuit for signal gain and preservation.
Main Results:
- The CHAS sensor effectively preserves weak acoustic information in the 20–1,000 Hz range with an average sensitivity of -158.86 dB.
- Successfully detected diverse low-frequency underwater events like human speech, water impacts, and vessel noise.
- A neural network achieved 96.3% accuracy on a standard database and 89.1% on CHAS data, demonstrating robust feature preservation.
Conclusions:
- The iontronic sensing mechanism preserves crucial acoustic features, enabling reliable cross-domain intelligent analysis.
- The integrated sensing framework offers a practical approach for intelligent low-frequency underwater acoustic monitoring.
- This technology provides a pathway for advanced underwater target recognition and environmental monitoring.
