Although conductive hydrogels (CHs) have been investigated
as the
wearable sensor in recent years, how to prepare the multifunctional
CHs with long-term usability is still a big challenge. In this paper,
we successfully prepared a kind of conductive and self-adhesive hydrogel
with a simple method, and its excellent ductility makes it possible
as a flexible strain sensor for intelligent monitoring. The CHs are
constructed by poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), polydopamine (PDA), and
phytic acid (PA) through the freeze–thaw cycle method. The
introduction of PA enhanced the intermolecular force with PVA and
provided much H+ for augmented conductivity, while the
catechol group on PDA endows the hydrogel with self-adhesion ability.
The PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel can directly contact with the skin and adhere
to it stably, which makes the hydrogel potentially a wearable strain
sensor. The PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel can monitor human motion signals (including
fingers, elbows, knees, etc.) in real-time and can accurately monitor
tiny electrical signals for smile and handwriting recognition. Notably,
the composite CHs can be used in a normal environment even after 4
months. Because of its excellent ductility, self-adhesiveness, and
conductivity, the PVA/PA/PDA hydrogel provides a new idea for wearable
bioelectronic sensors.