Lipoic acid (LA), which originates from animals and plants, is a small biomass molecule and has recently shown great application value in soft conductors. However, the severe depolymerization of LA places a significant limitation on its utilization. A strategy of using Li‐bonds as both depolymerization quenchers and dynamic mediators to melt transform LA into high‐performance ionoelastomers (IEs) is proposed. They feature dry networks while simultaneously combining transparency, stretchability, conductivity, self‐healing ability, non‐corrosive property, re‐mouldability, strain‐sensitivity, recyclability, and degradability. Most of the existing soft conductors’ drawbacks, such as the tedious synthesis, non‐renewable polymer networks, limited functions, and single‐use only, are successfully solved. In addition, the multi‐functions allow IEs to be used as soft sensors in human–computer interactive games and wireless remote sports assistants. Notably, the recycled IE also provides an efficient conductive filler for transparent ionic papers, which can be used to design soft transparent triboelectric nanogenerators for energy harvesting and multidirectional motion sensing. This work creates a new direction for future research involving intelligent soft electronics.
Biofoam materials are attractive
alternatives for petroleum-based
foams to be used to solve environmental problems. Inspired by steamed
bread, we report herein a novel utilization of wheat flour (WF) with
the introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form an environmentally
friendly WF/CNT composite foam. This foam displayed a high elasticity
(nearly 100% shape recovery), recyclable (5000 cycles), fast (100
ms), and superstability pressure-sensing response. It could serve
as a new pressure sensor to detect the tiny pressure (1.76 Pa) and
acoustic vibrations from piano notes. As an acoustic sensor, WF/CNT
foam detected and recognized different volumes and frequencies of
piano sounds. As an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding switch,
the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the foam could be easily regulated
under self-fixable compression–recovery cycles. In addition,
the WF/CNT foam could be converted into the WF/CNT film by a hot-compress
process. This flexible film was applied as a multifunctional sensing
device for detecting various motions. Therefore, wheat flour as a
renewable resource could be designed into various WF-based biofoams
with new functionalities and outstanding mechanical properties through
a simple process.
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