A highly sensitive strain sensor based on a silica@polyaniline core–shell particle reinforced hydrogel with excellent flexibility, stretchability, toughness and conductivity. Issue 8 (13th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Youqiang; Liu, Chuang; Lv, Xue; Sun, Shulin
• Is Part Of: Soft matter. Volume 17:Issue 8(2021)
• Page Start: 2142
• Page End: 2150
• Publication Date: 2021-01-13
• Subjects: Soft condensed matter -- Periodicals; 530.413
• DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01998d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-683X

Abstract

Abstract : Hydrophobic association and nano-hybrid with SiO2 @PANI core–shell nanoparticles endow P(AM/LMA) hydrogel with excellent mechanical strength, fatigue resistance and wonderful strain sensitivity. Abstract : Hydrogel-based flexible strain sensors for personal health monitoring and human–machine interaction have attracted wide interest among researchers. In this paper, hydrophobic association and nanocomposite conductive hydrogels were successfully prepared by introducing polyaniline coated silica (SiO2 @PANI) core–shell particles into an acrylamide–lauryl methacrylate (P(AM/LMA)) copolymer matrix. The hydrophobic interaction between the SiO2 @PANI core–shell particles and the hydrophobic LMA in the P(AM/LMA) chains induced the hydrogels with outstanding mechanical properties. Furthermore, the polyaniline on the SiO2 surface and the inorganic salt formed a conductive network, which synergistically enhanced the conductivity of the hydrogels. The obtained hydrogels integrate high tensile strength (1398 kPa), ultra-stretchability (>1000%), wonderful strain sensitivity (gauge factor = 10.407 at 100–1100% strain), quick response (300 ms), and excellent durability (>300 cycles) due to the hydrophobic association and nanocomposite effect. The prepared SiO2 @PANI-P(AM/LMA) hydrogel shows high stress sensitivity to detect human movements and displays a broad application prospect in flexible strain-sensor field.