A self-healing, long-lasting adhesive, lignin-based polyvinyl alcohol organo-hydrogel for strain-sensing applications

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules 2024-11, Vol.279 (Pt 4), p.135509, Article 135509
• Main Authors: An, Hang, Yu, Peng, Pan, Jiaxin, Ma, Jizu, Li, Ante, Huang, Huabo, Jiang, Can, Shu, Zhou, Zhu, Yizhou, Xiang, Yiming, Tan, Lei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Flexible sensor; Lignin; Multifunctionality; Organogel
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135509

Hydrogel-based flexible sensors have garnered considerable interest in the fields of soft electronics, robotics, and human-machine interfaces. For better practical applications, integrating multiple properties—such as self-adhesive, anti-freeze, anti-volatile, self-healing, and antibacterial—into a single gel for flexible sensors remains a challenge. In this paper, a multifunctional lignin-based polyvinyl alcohol gel, containing dynamic covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, and coordination bonds, is constructed by a simple one-pot method, in which ethylene glycol/water chosen as a binary solvent and KI as a conductive medium. The resulting organogel exhibits self-healing, long-lasting adhesion, UV shielding, antibacterial properties, excellent frost resistance (−20 °C), and volatile resistance properties. In addition, the organogel-based sensor demonstrates satisfactory sensitivity in detecting joint movements and facial expressions. This study provides a new strategy for developing a versatile flexible sensor through the introduction of renewable and bio-based lignin, promising applications in the fields of wearable electronics. •A multifunctional lignin-based polyvinyl alcohol gel used as a sensor is fabricated by a simple one-pot method.•The as-prepared gels demonstrate excellent anti-freeze and anti-volatilization properties.•The complex of lignin-metal ions imparts the PVA gel with excellent adhesive capability on various substrate.•The demonstrate excellent self-healing efficiency (exceeding 80 %), UV shielding performance, and antibacterial capability.