Microcracking is a critical issue plaguing wearable electronic devices. Traditional ionic conductive hydrogels tend to develop expanding cracks under repeated stretching and bending, which shortens device lifespan and compromises sensing stability. Developing stretchable, crack-resistant hydrogels with steady conductivity has long been a major challenge in flexible bioelectronics.
Researchers from Yanshan University have created a new interface-engineered ionically conductive hydrogel to solve the above problems. This material features ultra-high stretchability, excellent crack resistance and strong self-adhesion, and can stably collect physiological signals, making it a promising candidate for wearable sensing devices.
This research, titled Interface-engineered Ionically Conductive Polyoxometalate-based Hydrogels with High Stretchability and Notch-insensitivity for Wearable Sensors, has been published in the Chinese Journal of Polymer Science. The hydrogel is notch-insensitive, meaning it resists crack growth even with pre-existing cuts. The project was led by Professor Tifeng Jiao and Associate Professor Zhihui Qin, and Xiaojiao Shi is the first author.
