posted on 2021-07-27, 12:36authored byGuangyu Bao, Ran Huo, Zhenwei Ma, Mitchell Strong, Amin Valiei, Shuaibing Jiang, Shiyu Liu, Luc Mongeau, Jianyu Li
Ionotronic
hydrogels find wide applications in flexible electronics,
wearable/implantable devices, soft robotics, and human–machine
interfaces. Their performance and practical translation have been
bottlenecked by poor adhesiveness, limited mechanical properties,
and the lack of biological functions. The remedies are often associated
with complex formulations and sophisticated processing. Here, we report
a rational design and facile synthesis of ionotronic tough adhesives
(i-TAs), which have excellent mechanical, physical, electrical, and
biological properties and promise high scalability and translational
potential. They consist of an interpenetrating network with high-density
amine groups and highly mobile chains, which enable intrinsic adhesiveness,
self-healing, ionic stability, cytocompatibility, and antimicrobial
functions. The i-TAs in both pristine and swollen states possess high
toughness, stretchability, and strong adhesion to diverse substrates
such as tissues and elastomers. The superior mechanical performance
is achieved simultaneously with high ionic conductivity and stability
in electrolyte solutions. We further demonstrate the use of i-TAs
as wearable devices, strain sensors, and sensory sealants. This work
is expected to open avenues for new ionotronics with novel functions
and stimulate the development and translation of ionotronics.