Bioinspired Gradient Stretchable Aerogels for Ultrabroad‐Range‐Response Pressure‐Sensitive Wearable Electronics and High‐Efficient Separators

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2023-01, Vol.62 (1), p.e202213952-n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xiaoyu, Hu, Zhenyu, Sun, Qi, Liang, Xing, Gu, Puzhong, Huang, Jia, Zu, Guoqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerogels; Compression; Electronics; Flexible Pressure Sensor; Gradient Structure; Graphene; High-Efficient Separation; Hot pressing; Nanocomposites; Polyurethane; Polyurethane resins; Polyurethanes; Pressure; Pressure sensors; Separators; Signal monitoring; Sol-gel processes; Stretchable Aerogel; Superelasticity; Tires; Ultrabroad Response Range; Water purification; Wearable Electronic Devices; Wearable technology
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202213952

Broad‐range‐response pressure‐sensitive wearable electronics are urgently needed but their preparation remains a challenge. Herein, we report unprecedented bioinspired wearable electronics based on stretchable and superelastic reduced graphene oxide/polyurethane nanocomposite aerogels with gradient porous structures by a sol‐gel/hot pressing/freeze casting/ambient pressure drying strategy. The gradient structure with a hot‐pressed layer promotes strain transfer and resistance variation under high pressures, leading to an ultrabroad detection range of 1 Pa–12.6 MPa, one of the broadest ranges ever reported. They can withstand 10 000 compression cycles under 1 MPa, which can't be achieved by traditional flexible pressure sensors. They can be applied for broad‐range‐response electronic skins and monitoring various physical signals/motions and ultrahigh pressures of automobile tires. Moreover, the gradient aerogels can be used as high‐efficient gradient separators for water purification. Gradient, stretchable and superelastic reduced graphene oxide/polyurethane nanocomposite aerogels have been achieved by a sol‐gel/hot pressing/freeze casting/ambient pressure drying strategy. The gradient aerogels can be used for high‐efficient separators and wearable electronics with an ultrabroad detection range of 1 Pa–12.6 MPa and ultrahigh fatigue resistance, showing great potentials in high‐performance sensors and separators.