Solvent-Free Ion-Conductive Xerogels with High Conductivity and Adhesion Enable Multimodal Sensing
Ion-conductive gels (ICGs) are essential for achieving human-machine interfaces, bioelectronic applications, or durable wearable sensors. However, traditional solvent-dependent ICGs face bottlenecks such as dehydration-induced failure and challenges in achieving a balance between conductivity and mechanical properties. Here, this work developed a novel ternary ion-conductive xerogel (PEM-Li ICXG) system based on polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly (2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA), and LiTFSI. PEM-Li ICXGs exhibit high conductivity (2.7 × 10<sup>-2</sup> S/m), high adhesive capability (0.34 MPa), and solvent-free characteristics. Remarkably, the incorporation of ions into ICXGs simultaneously optimizes their mechanical performance. We demonstrate the application of ICGs in flexible sensors for strain or temperature sensing. The proposed synthesis strategy is straightforward and may further inspire the design of novel high-performance ICXGs.
Authors
- Jinjun Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9939-151X)
- Yicheng Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3037-0398)
- Pengju Pan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6924-5485)
- Yichen Zhou
- Chengtao Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3656-0582)
- Xing Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4901-166X)
Institutions
- Tianjin University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Tianjin University of Technology (CN)
- Quzhou University (CN)
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering (CN)
- Zhejiang University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Gels
- Published
- 2025-03-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040242
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.67
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China