Zhao Dongping, Luo Jing, Fang Kaili, Huang Caoxing, Zhou Xin, Jiang Kankan
National Key Laboratory for the Development and Utilization of Forest Food Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Co-Innovation Center for Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 May;310(Pt 3):143438. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.143438. Epub 2025 Apr 22.
Conductive hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation flexible electronics owing to their unique combination of electrical conductivity and mechanical compliance. However, the development of an eco-friendly and efficient polymerization strategy to simultaneously achieve robust adhesion and superior functionality remains a challenge. In the work, catechol lignin (DAL)/liquid metal (LM) were utilized as initiators for the polymerization of acrylic monomers (PAA), resulting in the preparation of conductive hydrogels (PAA-DAL-LM). The engineered DAL component serves dual functions of establishing an interfacial stabilization layer for LM nanoparticles while participating in radical generation for polymerization initiation, and this synthesis protocol eliminates conventional toxic initiators through LM-mediated radical generation mechanisms. The resultant PAA-DAL-1.6 %LM hydrogel demonstrated remarkable performance characteristics, including exceptional compressive strength (688.5 KPa), good self-healing properties, and high electrical conductivity (0.24 S/m). Structural modification of alkali lignin through catechol incorporation significantly improved both the water solubility and interfacial adhesion strength (16.23 KPa). Systematic characterization revealed stable strain-responsive electrical behavior with high strain sensing accuracy as well as stable electrical output. These multifunctional hydrogels not only hold significant potential for advancing flexible sensor technologies but also pave the way for sustainable valorization of lignin biopolymers in advanced material applications.
由于具有导电性和机械柔韧性的独特组合，导电水凝胶已成为下一代柔性电子产品的有前途的候选材料。然而，开发一种生态友好且高效的聚合策略以同时实现强大的粘附力和卓越的功能仍然是一项挑战。在这项工作中，儿茶酚木质素（DAL）/液态金属（LM）被用作丙烯酸单体（PAA）聚合的引发剂，从而制备出导电水凝胶（PAA-DAL-LM）。经过工程设计的DAL组分具有双重功能，既为LM纳米颗粒建立界面稳定层，又参与引发聚合反应的自由基生成，并且这种合成方案通过LM介导的自由基生成机制消除了传统的有毒引发剂。所得的PAA-DAL-1.6%LM水凝胶表现出卓越的性能特征，包括出色的抗压强度（688.5KPa）、良好的自愈性能和高电导率（0.24S/m）。通过引入儿茶酚对碱木质素进行结构改性，显著提高了其水溶性和界面粘附强度（16.23KPa）。系统表征揭示了稳定的应变响应电行为，具有高应变传感精度以及稳定的电输出。这些多功能水凝胶不仅在推进柔性传感器技术方面具有巨大潜力，而且为木质素生物聚合物在先进材料应用中的可持续增值铺平了道路。
