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Highly viscoelastic, stretchable, conductive, and self-healing strain sensors based on cellulose nanofiber-reinforced polyacrylic acid hydrogel

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Abstract

Conductive and self-healing hydrogels are among the emerging materials that mimic the human skin and are important due to their probable prospects in soft robots and wearable electronics. However, the mechanical properties of the hydrogel matrix limit their applications. In this study, we developed a physicochemically dual cross-linked chemically modified-cellulose nanofibers-carbon nanotubes/polyacrylic acid (TOCNF-CNTs/PAA) hydrogel. The TOCNFs acted both as a nanofiller and dispersant to increase the mechanical strength of the PAA matrix and break the agglomerates of the CNTs. The final self-healing and conductive TOCNF-CNTs/PAA-0.7 (mass ratio of CNTs to AA) hydrogel with a uniform texture exhibited highly intrinsic stretchability (breaking elongation to ca. 850%), enhanced tensile properties (ca. 59 kPa), ideal conductivity (ca. 2.88 S m− 1) and pressure sensitivity. Besides, the composite hydrogels achieved up to approximately 98.36% and 99.99% self-healing efficiency for mechanical and electrical properties, respectively, without any external stimuli. Therefore, the as-designed multi-functional self-healing hydrogels, combined with stretching, sensitivity, and repeatability, possess the ability to monitor human activity and develop multifunctional, advanced, and commercial products such as wearable strain sensors, health monitors, and smart robots.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31770609, 31901274), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province for Outstanding Young Scholars (BK20180090), Qing Lan Project of Jiangsu Province (2019), 333 Project Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BRA2018337), 13th China Special Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2020T130303), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2019M661854), Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (2019K142), Priority Academic Program Development (PAPD), and Analysis and Test Center of Nanjing Forestry University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Material Science and Engineering College, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Yue Jiao, Kaiyue Lu, Ya Lu, Xinwu Xu & Jingquan Han

  2. Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Yue Jiao, Ya Lu & Jingquan Han

  3. Material Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China

    Jian Li

  4. Biology and Environment College, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Yiying Yue

  5. Chemical Engineering Department, New Brunswick University, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Huining Xiao

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  1. Yue Jiao
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Correspondence to Yiying Yue, Jian Li or Jingquan Han.

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Jiao, Y., Lu, K., Lu, Y. et al. Highly viscoelastic, stretchable, conductive, and self-healing strain sensors based on cellulose nanofiber-reinforced polyacrylic acid hydrogel. Cellulose 28, 4295–4311 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-021-03782-1

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