3D printed thermo-responsive electroconductive hydrogel and its application for motion sensor

Abstract

Stimulus-responsive hydrogels with excellent conductivity have been widely used in electrical, electrochemical, biomedical, and other fields. It is still a challenge to prepare gels with high conductivity. In this paper, poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) is 3D printed by changing the rheological properties of the printing solution with clay. By forming phytic acid cross-linked polyaniline conductive polymer network in situ on the poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide) matrix, 3D printing of thermally responsive conductive hybrid hydrogels was realized. The interpenetrating polymer network structure provides an electron transport path for hydrogels. The hydrogels have high porosity, strong interaction, high electrical conductivity, high thermal response sensitivity, and significant mechanical enhancement. The results show that the swelling and mechanical properties of the gel are influenced by soaking in different concentrations. The application scenario of the hydrogel was confirmed by a temperature-sensitive switch and finger motion detection.

Three-Dimensional Printing Strategies for Enhanced Hydrogel Applications

“…Enhanced bioprinting techniques [74][75][76] and the integration of bioactive molecules [60,72,73] are paving the way for more intricate and functional tissue constructs. The development of smart and responsive hydrogels [77][78][79] heralds new prospects for medical devices and drug delivery systems. Furthermore, the emphasis on customization and patient-specific solutions emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and personalized medicine [84,85,146].…”

Reversible Assembly of Conductive Supragel Building Blocks by Metallo‐Complexes

“…Owing to their ability to store large amounts of water, [ 5 ] their precisely tunable mechanical and physicochemical properties, [ 6,7 ] and a vast material library, including materials with excellent biocompatibility as well as biodegradability, [ 8 ] hydrogels have gained tremendous interest in recent years. Working towards customizable, multifunctional so‐called supragels, the controlled step‐by‐step assembly of singular, small building blocks with tailored, predetermined mechanical and physicochemical properties, e.g., electrical [ 9 ] and thermal conductivity [ 10 ] as well as transparency, [ 11 ] is of particular interest. To guarantee optimal signal transmission within supragels, high stability of the inter‐crosslinks between hydrogel building blocks is needed.…”