Liu Hu, Zhang Xiong-Fei, Li Mengjie, Yao Jianfeng
Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Langmuir. 2024 Oct 8;40(40):20986-20994. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c02244. Epub 2024 Sep 25.
Ionic conductive cellulose hydrogels are some of the most promising candidates for flexible sensors. However, it is difficult to simultaneously prepare cellulose hydrogels with high mechanical strength, good ionic conductivity, and antifreeze performance. In this work, a natural clay (attapulgite)-reinforced cellulose hydrogel was fabricated. Through a one-pot method, cellulose and attapulgite were dispersed in a concentrated ZnCl solution. The obtained hydrogel exhibited a dual network of hydrogen bonds and Zn-induced ionic interactions. Attapulgite serves as an inorganic filler that can regulate the hydrogen-bonding density among cellulose molecules and provides abundant channels for fast ion transport. By optimizing the attapulgite loading, a mechanically strong (compressive strength up to 1.10 MPa), tough (fracture energy up to 0.36 MJ m), highly ionic conductive (4.15 S m), and freezing-tolerant hydrogel was prepared. These hydrogels can be used for sensitive and stable human motion sensing, demonstrating their great potential for healthcare applications.
离子导电纤维素水凝胶是柔性传感器最有前途的候选材料之一。然而，同时制备具有高机械强度、良好离子导电性和抗冻性能的纤维素水凝胶却很困难。在这项工作中，制备了一种天然粘土（凹凸棒石）增强的纤维素水凝胶。通过一锅法，将纤维素和凹凸棒石分散在浓ZnCl溶液中。所得水凝胶呈现出氢键和Zn诱导的离子相互作用的双重网络结构。凹凸棒石作为无机填料，可以调节纤维素分子间的氢键密度，并为快速离子传输提供丰富的通道。通过优化凹凸棒石的负载量，制备出了机械强度高（抗压强度高达1.10 MPa）、韧性好（断裂能高达0.36 MJ m）、离子导电性高（4.15 S m）且耐冻的水凝胶。这些水凝胶可用于灵敏且稳定的人体运动传感，展示了其在医疗保健应用中的巨大潜力。
