Ionic Conductive Organogels Based on Cellulose and Lignin-Derived Metabolic Intermediates

Cellulose has been widely employed as a substrate and gel electrolyte in electronic devices due to its excellent mechanical properties and convertibility. However, the production of cellulose-based gels is complex and often requires additional chemical cross-linking and solvent exchange. We now report a facile and unique process for producing conductive organogels using wood-biomass-derived cellulose and 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC), which is obtained from the metabolic process of lignin. A simple mixing process yields cellulose-PDC organogels, which have been successfully applied to gel-based polyelectrolytes and electrically responsive actuators. Compared to the control sample, cellulose-isophthalic acid (IA) organogel, the cellulose-PDC organogel showed superior ionic conductivity and sensitivity to electrical stimulation. In this study, new insights into the competitive advantages of wooden biomass-derived molecules are proposed.