Ionic Conductive Organohydrogels with Dynamic Pattern Behavior and Multi-Environmental Stability

Multi-environmental tolerant hydrogels have received significant attention and are promising for application as smart materials in multiple environments (e.g., water, oil, freezing, and dry). However, the macroscopic change and anti-swelling mechanisms of organohydrogels in different solvents and their corresponding applications have not been adequately harnessed. Herein, an ionic organohydrogel with excellent mechanical properties and unique behaviors (information identification and encryption) and mechanical sensing in multiple environments is prepared. The prepared organohydrogel shows an obvious transparent change in different solvents owing to the microphase separation in poor solvents and swelling in suitable solvents, and can be treated as a dynamic information memory device for recording and encrypting information. Furthermore, owing to the interaction between water and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), the organohydrogel demonstrates a prominent freezing resistance (-90 to 20 degrees C) and moisturizing retention properties (76% after 15 days). In addition, the ionic conductive hydrogel exhibits outstanding human motion detection and physiological signal response and displays a stable mechanical sensing performance in freezing, dry conditions, and oil or water environments. It is envisioned that the design strategies and mechanistic investigation of organohydrogels may be promising for application as bio-sensors and information-recognition platforms in harsh environments.

Automated summary

The study prepared an organic hydrogel that shows obvious transparent changes in different solvents and can be used as a dynamic information storage device. It exhibits outstanding freezing resistance and moisturizing properties, and displays stable mechanical sensing performance in various environments.