Liquid-Free, Anti-Freezing, Solvent-Resistant, Cellulose-Derived Ionic Conductive Elastomer for Stretchable Wearable Electronics and Triboelectric Nanogenerators

The development of flexible conductive elastomers integrating renewable feedstock, splendid mechanical property, and excellent weather resistance is of major interest and challenge. Here, a novel strategy is reported to construct the liquid-free cellulose-derived ionic conductive elastomer that is successfully applied in the wearable sensor and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). In this strategy, the ionic conductive elastomer with physical and chemical dual-crosslinking network is prepared via in situ polymerization of the polymerizable deep eutectic solvent. The construction of dual-crosslinking network improves the mechanical strength and toughness more than 2 times, and the cellulose contributes to forming the dense hydrogen bond crosslinking network that can improve the recyclability, anti-freezing, and solvent-resistance performance. Benefiting from these features, the ionic conductive elastomer is successfully applied in the wearable sensors and TENG for monitoring human motion, and in harvesting mechanical energy to convert into stable electrical outputs to light the LEDs, charge the capacitor, and power the electronic watch. The ionic conductive elastomer maintains reliable sensing and energy harvesting performance even after recycling, soaking in organic solvent, or at low/high temperature. This work paves a promising strategy for fabricating sustainable and multifunction flexible electronics that are suitable for harsh environments.

Automated summary

This study reports a novel strategy to construct a liquid-free cellulose-derived ionic conductive elastomer, which is successfully applied in wearable sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators. The dual-crosslinking network of the elastomer improves its mechanical strength and toughness, and the cellulose contributes to a dense hydrogen bond crosslinking network, enhancing recyclability and solvent resistance. The ionic conductive elastomer demonstrates reliable sensing and energy harvesting performance, even after recycling, exposure to organic solvents, or extreme temperatures.