Mussel-Inspired\nTA-Laponite-Doped Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced\nHydrogels as Antibacterial Strain Sensors with High Mechanical Toughness

Flexible hydrogel sensors have garnered\nsignificant interest\nowing\nto their biocompatibility and tissue similarity. Nevertheless, challenges\nsuch as inadequate mechanical strength, poor interface adhesion, lack\nof antimicrobial properties, and low conductivity impeded their practical\nutilization. This research aimed to address traditional hydrogels’\npoor mechanical strength, interface adhesion issues, and lack of antibacterial\nproperties, expanding their applications. Drawing inspiration from\nmussel adhesion, we crafted an innovative hydrogel using tannic acid\n(TA) as an adhesive, enhanced with ionic liquids (ILs) for the exfoliation\nof magnesium lithium silicate (Laponite) for mechanical improvement\nand carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs) for electrical enhancement. The prepared\nPAM/Lap-IL/TA/c-MWCNTs hydrogel showed a fracture stress of 461 kPa\nand a notable strain of 6800%, with an outstanding adhesive capacity\n(163 N/m). The prepared sensor can successfully monitor various human\nmovements and exhibits good electrical conductivity (16.4 S/cm, GF\n= 3.15), quick reaction time (200 ms), and notable antibacterial activity.\nCrucially, this versatile conductive hydrogel has potential applications\nin electronic products and medical diagnostic health monitoring.