Polyelectrolyte‐Integrated Ionic Elastomer Sensors for Piezoresistivity, Energy Harvesting and Water‐Cleaning Properties

ABSTRACT Ionic sensors using ionic hydrogels, ionic liquid‐based polymer blends, and ionic elastomers have drawn increasing attention during the past decade in flexible electronics, pressure sensors, and water purification applications. However, ionic sensors using ionic hydrogels and ionic liquid‐based polymer blends suffer from limited sensing and water cleaning capabilities due to the leakage of ionic liquids and water evaporation from the devices. In the present investigation, an ionic elastomer sensor (IES) with high performance piezoresistivity, energy harvesting, and water cleansing capabilities has been developed employing poly (vinylsulfonic acid salt) (PVSA) polyelectrolyte microbeads bonded to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) via strong intermolecular bonding. The PVDF/PVP/PVSA‐based IES with a ratio of 30/15/55 achieved the enhanced values of gauge factor ( G ) of 945 and output voltage generation of 2.5 V with bending strain of 0.018, and sensitivity of (∆ R / R ) of 60 with wrist movement, the 63% reduction of total dissolved solids (TDS) and 617% increment of dissolved oxygen (DO) from sewage water.