Adhesive, Stretchable, and Transparent Organohydrogels for Antifreezing, Antidrying, and Sensitive Ionic Skins

As a flexible wearable device, hydrogel-based sensors have attracted widespread attention in soft electronics. However, the application of traditional hydrogels at extreme temperatures or for a long-term stability still remain a challenge because of the existence of water. Herein, we reported an antifreezing and antidrying organohydrogel with high transparency (over 85% transmittance), high stretchability (up to 1200%), and robust adhesiveness to various substrates, which consist of polyacrylic acid, gelatin, AlCl3+, and tannic acid in a water/glycerin binary solvent as the dispersion medium. As the binary solvent easily forms strong hydrogen bonds with water molecules, organohydrogels exhibited excellent tolerance for drying and freezing. The organohydrogels maintained conductivity, adhesion, and stable sensitivity after a long-term storage or at subzero temperature (-14 degrees C). Moreover, the organohydrogel-based wearable sensors with a gauge factor of 2.5 (strain, 0-100%) could detect both large-scale movements and subtle motions. Therefore, the multifunctional organohydrogel-wearable sensors with antifreezing and antidrying properties have promising potential for human-machine interfaces and healthcare monitoring under a broad range of environmental conditions.

Automated summary

The study introduces an organohydrogel-based sensor with antifreezing and antidrying properties, featuring high transparency, stretchability, and adhesiveness. It shows stable performance at extreme temperatures or long-term storage, and is capable of detecting various motions.