Polymers, Vol. 17, Pages 2179: Tough Hydrogel Reinforced by Meta-Aramid Nanofibers for Flexible Sensors


Polymers, Vol. 17, Pages 2179: Tough Hydrogel Reinforced by Meta-Aramid Nanofibers for Flexible Sensors

Polymers doi: 10.3390/polym17162179

Authors:
Zhiwen Hou
Yongzheng Li
Donghao Zhang
Cun Peng
Yan Wang
Kunyan Sui

Hydrogels exhibit significant promise for advanced flexible sensing applications owing to their intrinsic softness, biocompatibility, and customizable functionalities. Nevertheless, their limited mechanical strength poses a critical barrier to practical implementation. In this study, we engineered a mechanically robust alginate/chitosan (SA/CS) hydrogel reinforced with meta-aramid (PMIA) nanofibers. The resulting composite hydrogel achieves a tensile strength of 16.8 MPa, substantially exceeding the performance of conventional biomass-derived hydrogels. When employed as a flexible sensor, the hydrogel demonstrates exceptional pressure-sensing capabilities, featuring high sensitivity (178.41 MΩ/MPa below 5 kPa), rapid response kinetics (0.4–0.8 s), and sustained stability (>200 cycles). Leveraging these properties, we successfully monitored vocal cord vibrations and finger motion trajectories, highlighting their potential for biomechanical sensing applications.



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Zhiwen Hou www.mdpi.com