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Fatigue-Resistant Conducting Polymer Hydrogels as Strain Sensor for Underwater Robotics |
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| Authors: | Zhilin Zhang Guangda Chen Yu Xue Qingfang Duan Xiangyu Liang Tao Lin Zhixin Wu Yun Tan Qi Zhao Wenqian Zheng Lina Wang Fucheng Wang Xiaoyu Luo Jingkun Xu Ji Liu Baoyang Lu |
| Affiliation: | 1. Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013 China;2. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics and Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Human-Augmentation and Rehabilitation Robotics in Universities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China;3. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics and Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Human-Augmentation and Rehabilitation Robotics in Universities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, 518120 China Institute of Bast Fiber Crops and Center of Southern Economic Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410205 China;4. Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo college of medicine, Shandong University, 758 Hefei Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266035 China;5. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055 China |
| Abstract: | Conducting polymer hydrogels are widely used as strain sensors in light of their distinct skin-like softness, strain sensitivity, and environmental adaptiveness in the fields of wearable devices, soft robots, and human-machine interface. However, the mechanical and electrical properties of existing conducting polymer hydrogels, especially fatigue-resistance and sensing robustness during long-term application, are unsatisfactory, which severely hamper their practical utilities. Herein, a strategy to fabricate conducting polymer hydrogels with anisotropic structures and mechanics is presented through a combined freeze-casting and salting-out process. The as-fabricated conducting polymer hydrogels exhibit high fatigue threshold (>300 J m?2), low Young's modulus (≈100 kPa), as well as long-term strain sensing robustness (over 10 000 cycles). Such superior performance enables their application as strain sensors to monitor the real-time movement of underwater robotics. The design and fabrication strategy for conducting polymer hydrogels reported in this study may open up an enticing avenue for functional soft materials in soft electronics and robotics. |
| Keywords: | conducting polymer hydrogels fatigue-resistance PEDOT:PSS strain sensing underwater robotics |