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Self-Oriented Gradient Ionic Skins for Dual-Function Electromagnetic Shielding and Self-Powered Sensing
Donghao Zhang1, Xiaodan Wang1, Na Pan2
1College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China.
Nano-Micro Letters
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed advanced ionic skins (I-skins) with self-powering, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, and pressure sensing. These novel I-skins offer high sensitivity and energy autonomy for soft electronics applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Electronics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Soft electronics require integrated functionalities like electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, self-powering, and pressure sensing.
- Current ionic skins (I-skins) face challenges in achieving all these high-performance features simultaneously.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile strategy for fabricating self-powered I-skins with high-performance EMI shielding and pressure-sensing capabilities.
- To explore the potential of MXene/polyelectrolyte hydrogels for advanced I-skin applications.
Main Methods:
- A diffusion-complexation strategy was employed to create self-oriented gradient MXene/polyelectrolyte hydrogels.
- The method involves osmotic pressure gradient-induced in-plane self-orientation of MXene nanosheets and spontaneous formation of a longitudinal charge gradient.
Main Results:
- The fabricated I-skins demonstrated excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (48 dB).
- The I-skins exhibited high-sensitivity self-powered pressure sensing (3.067 mV kPa⁻¹) over a broad range (0.05–80 kPa) with a low detection limit (0.05 kPa).
- Fast response times (120–130 ms) were achieved.
Conclusions:
- The developed I-skins successfully integrate high sensitivity, energy autonomy, and superior EMI shielding.
- This scalable strategy offers a promising pathway for advanced I-skins in diverse soft electronic applications.
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