Flexible Gel Sensor: From Design to Application

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 660

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Interests: hydrogel; flexible electronics; microstructure; printing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flexible gel sensors represent an exciting advancement in materials science and sensing technology. Based on hydrogels and elastomers, these sensors can conform to curved surfaces, repeatedly stretch and deform, and detect stimuli such as pressure, strain, and humidity. Their flexibility and versatility make them well-suited for applications including wearable electronics, soft robotics, and health monitoring. However, designing and optimizing these sensors requires expertise across multiple disciplines including chemistry, mechanics, electronics, and manufacturing. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest interdisciplinary research on the design, fabrication, characterization, and implementation of flexible gel sensors. Contributions will cover fundamental studies on gel chemistry and mechanics as well as applied research on integrating these unique materials into functional devices. By providing a comprehensive look at the current state and future potential of flexible gel sensor technology, this Special Issue will foster collaboration across fields and accelerate development of innovative new applications.

Dr. Weiwei Zhao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • hydrogel materials
  • preparation technology
  • mechanical properties
  • portable electronics
  • wearable electronics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 5910 KiB  
Article
Silicon-Enhanced PVA Hydrogels in Flexible Sensors: Mechanism, Applications, and Recycling
by Xiaolei Guo, Hao Zhang, Manman Wu, Zhan Tian, Yanru Chen, Rui Bao, Jinghao Hao, Xiao Cheng and Chuanjian Zhou
Gels 2024, 10(12), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10120788 - 2 Dec 2024
Viewed by 254
Abstract
Hydrogels, known for their outstanding water absorption, flexibility, and biocompatibility, have been widely utilized in various fields. Nevertheless, their application is still limited by their relatively low mechanical performance. This study has successfully developed a dual-network hydrogel with exceptional mechanical properties by embedding [...] Read more.
Hydrogels, known for their outstanding water absorption, flexibility, and biocompatibility, have been widely utilized in various fields. Nevertheless, their application is still limited by their relatively low mechanical performance. This study has successfully developed a dual-network hydrogel with exceptional mechanical properties by embedding amino-functionalized polysiloxane (APSi) networks into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. This hydrogel effectively dissipates energy through dense sacrificial bonds between the networks, allowing for precise control over its tensile strength (ranging from 0.07 to 1.46 MPa) and toughness (from 0.06 to 2.17 MJ/m3) by adjusting the degree of crosslinking in the polysiloxane network. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits excellent conductivity (10.97 S/cm) and strain sensitivity (GF = 1.43), indicating its potential for use in wearable strain sensors. Moreover, at the end of its life (EOL), the sensor waste can be repurposed as an adsorbent material for metal ions in water treatment, achieving the recycling of hydrogel materials and maximizing resource utilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flexible Gel Sensor: From Design to Application)
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