Conductive hydrogels have shown great promise in the field of sustainable power sources due to their unique features of sufficient flexibility, durability, and functional diversification. However, time-and energy-consuming polymerization process and poor adaptability in extreme environments severely impede their practical application in such an emerging field. Herein, a facile and universal self-catalytic system (AL-Cu 2+ ) based on alkali lignin (AL) macromolecule has been designed to rapidly fabricate conductive and transparent organohydrogels in alkaline water-ethylene glycol (EG) binary solvent, which displays extreme environment applicability (-40 to 60 °C), eligible stretchability (≈800% elongation), and robust self-adhesion (≈31.4 kPa). Interestingly, the introduced EG accelerates the polymerization, endows extreme freezing/ drying resistance, and improves self-adhesion for the organohydrogels. The organohydrogel (water/EG = 2/3) that combines the above merits inspires the construction of triboelectric nanogenerator (O-TENG) for mechanical energy harvesting and converting regardless of low-or high-temperature environments. The generated electricity by the O-TENG can be used directly or stored to drive commercial electronics and installed on human joints for movement monitoring. This work sheds light on designing environmentresistant flexible TENGs based on multifunctional soft materials with fast gelation strategy, provoking more attention to sustainable high-value utilization of lignin for advanced applications.
Energy dissipation underlies dynamic behaviors of the life system. This principle of biology is explicit, but its in vitro mimic is very challenging. Here we use an energy-dissipative self-assembly pathway to create a life-like polymer micellar system that can do periodic and self-adaptive pulsating motion fueled by cell energy currency, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Such a micelle expansion−contraction behavior relies on transient supramolecular interactions between the micelle and ATP fuel. The micelles capturing ATPs will deviate away from the thermodynamic equilibrium state, driving a continuous micellar expansion that temporarily breaks the amphiphilic balance, until a competing ATP hydrolysis consumes energy to result in an opposing micellar contraction. As long as ATP energy is supplied to keep the system in out-of-equilibrium, this reciprocating process can be sustained, and the ATP level can orchestrate the rhythm and amplitude of nanoparticulate pulsation. The man-made assemblies provide a model for imitating biologically time-dependent self-assembly and periodic nanocarriers for programmed drug delivery.
Rapid fabrication of organohydrogels at room temperature without external stimuli is a challenge. Inspired by plant catechol chemistry, a self-catalytic system established by sodium lignosulfonate and copper (II) ion (Ls-Cu2+)...
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