Enhancement of hybrid organohydrogels by interpenetrating crosslinking strategies for multi-source signal recognition over a wide temperature range

• Published in: Materials horizons 2024-11, Vol.11 (23), p.617-6116
• Main Authors: Zhang, Shen, Sun, Rui, Wang, Jun, Jiang, Zhiqin, Liu, Mingfang, Chen, Hua, Hu, Zhijun, Zhan, Xiaoli, Gao, Feng, Zhang, Qinghua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bionics; Chain entanglement; Crosslinking; Distress signals; Entanglement; Flexible components; Inorganic salts; Interpenetrating networks; Ion currents; Low pressure; Low temperature; Polar environments; Real time; Sensors; Stretchability; Temperature
• ISSN: 2051-6347; 2051-6355; 2051-6355
• DOI: 10.1039/d4mh00970c

With substantial temperature differentials between summer and winter in polar regions, there exists a pressing necessity for flexible sensors capable of functioning across a broad temperature spectrum to facilitate the construction of a more intelligent human-machine interface. Nevertheless, developing flexible sensors resilient to extremely low temperatures remains a significant challenge. In this study, we present an organohydrogel capable of functioning ranging from ambient to −78 °C, enabling real-time monitoring of multi-source signals, including motion, physiology, speech, and pressure. We synthesize organohydrogel employing a singular methodology: interpenetrating network structures as matrix frameworks, dynamic hydrophobic linkages as the physical cross-linking points, and incorporating a bionic binder. H-Bonding and chain entanglement synergistic supramolecular interactions build the organohydrogel matrix with microphase-separated domains, which, together with the combination of binary solvents and inorganic salts, allows it to exhibit excellent properties, including large stretchability ( 1700%), high ionic conductivity (1.57 S m −1 ), admirable sensing sensitivity performance (gauge factor: GF = 6.47, S = 0.32 kPa −1 ), an exceptionally low-pressure detection threshold ( 1 Pa), enables wireless transmission of distress signals through human-machine interaction even at −78 °C, which makes it possible to use it in polar exploration and to give robots a "sense of touch" for a variety of deep-diving tasks. Enhancement of hybrid organohydrogels by interpenetrating crosslinking strategies for multi-source signal recognition over a wide temperature range.