Preparation of a mechanically robust conductive nanocomposite hydrogel for human motion sensing

摘要

Hydrogel sensors, which are flexible, stretchable, and conductive, are attracting great interest due to their potential for healthcare and electronics applications. However, the development of cost-effective, extremely sensitive, and strong conductive hydrogels keeps being a significant problem. The present work aims to investigate zwitterionic nanocomposite hydrogels, which are demonstrated as novel tissue adhesives for strain sensors. These hydrogels exhibit high compressive strength, high strain sensitivity, and desirable electrical conductivity, among other advantages. High sensing ability was demonstrated by the ionic hydrogel produced as a viable strain sensor. A variety of abnormalities and movements (e.g., finger bends and wrist movements) as well as the smallest movements of the human body could be recorded data at any moment by flexible epidermal sensors. This study presents a viable method for the synthesis of conductive hydrogels for the development of soft robotics, medicinal devices, and flexible electronic skins.