No abstract

No abstract

A biocompatible, flexible, yet robust conductive composite hydrogel (CCH) for wearable pressure/strain sensors has been achieved by an all-solution-based approach. The CCH is rationally constructed by in situ polymerization of aniline (An) monomers in the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix, followed by the cross-linking of PVA with glutaraldehyde (GA) as the cross-linker. The unique multiple synergetic networks in the CCH including strong chemical covalent bonds and abundance of weak physical cross-links, i.e., hydrogen bondings and electrostatic interactions, impart excellent mechanical strength (a fracture tensile strength of 1200 kPa), superior compressibility (ε = 80%@400 kPa), outstanding stretchability (a fracture strain of 670%), high sensitivity (0.62 kPa–1 at a pressure range of 0–1.0 kPa for pressure sensing and a gauge factor of 3.4 at a strain range of 0–300% for strain sensing, respectively), and prominent fatigue resistance (1500 cycling). As the flexible wearable sensor, the CCH is able to monitor different types of human motion and diagnostically distinguish speaking. As a proof of concept, a sensing device has been designed for the real-time detection of 2D distribution of weight or pressure, suggesting its promising potentials for electronic skin, human–machine interaction, and soft robot applications.

A porous nickel film was prepared by the selective anodic dissolution of copper from an electrodeposited Ni-Cu alloy film. A porous nanostructured nickel-based complex film electrode was further fabricated by oxidizing the obtained porous nickel film using cyclic voltammetry in 1 mol •L-1 KOH solution. The physical properties and pseudocapacitive performance of the as-prepared film electrodes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical techniques. The results of SEM, XRD, and XPS indicate that the obtained complex film electrode consists of Ni, Ni(OH)2, and NiOOH, and it has a porous nanostructure. The electrochemical experiments revealed that the as-prepared porous nanostructured nickel-based complex film electrode had a specific capacitance of 578 F•g-1 at a current density of 20 A•g-1 at the initial cycle and it gave a specific capacitance of 544 F•g-1 after 1000 cycles with a capacitance retention of 94%. The nanoporous structure enhances the accessibility of the KOH electrolyte and promotes reactive species transport within the electrode. The nanoporous Ni substrate may improve the electronic conductivity of the thin Ni(OH)2 film at its surfaces. The nanosized Ni(OH)2 grains can shorten the proton diffusion pathways in the bulk of the solid nickel hydroxide. These factors are responsible for the superior pseudocapacitive performance of the porous nanostructured nickel-based complex film electrode.