Journal of Guangdong University of Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (1): 79-86.doi: 10.12052/gdutxb.240067

• Smart Medical • Previous Articles    

Preparation and Sensing Properties of Highly Robust Conductive Hydrogels

Wen Chaoyao, Wang Ziqi, Xiang Chuyang, Liu Mingjie, Tan Guoxin   

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
  • Received:2024-05-20 Published:2025-01-14

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Abstract: In recent years, conductive hydrogels have attracted significant attention in the field of flexible wearable sensors. However, traditional conductive hydrogel-based sensors suffer from insufficient mechanical properties, severely limiting their application in flexible sensors. Therefore, enhancing the mechanical properties of conductive hydrogels is essential for flexible sensing applications. Poly(vinyl alcohol) /poly(ethyleneimine) -sodium sulfate (PVA/PEI-Na2SO4) hydrogels were successfully prepared using the directional freezing technique and salting-out effect, showing excellent mechanical properties. During the directional freezing process, the polymer chains in the PVA/PEI hydrogels were arranged orderly along the ice crystal growth direction. This ordered structure improved the mechanical properties of the hydrogels. By immersing the hydrogel in a sodium sulfate solution, the density of the hydrogel network structure increased through the salting-out effect, further enhancing its mechanical properties and endowing the hydrogel with ionic conductivity. The results demonstrated that the PVA/PEI-Na2SO4 hydrogel exhibited high compressive strength (5.98 MPa) and excellent force-electrical response properties, with stable electrical signals output during 100 external load-unload cycles. The PVA/PEI-Na2SO4 hydrogel developed in this study has potential applications in flexible sensing and finger muscle rehabilitation.

Key words: hydrogel, polyvinyl alcohol/polyethyleneimine, conductivity, flexible sensor

CLC Number: 

  • R605
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