Lignin nanoparticle/MXene-based conductive hydrogel with mechanical robustness and strain-sensitivity property via rapid self-gelation process towards flexible sensor

Conductive hydrogels have been showcased with substantial potential for soft wearable devices. However, the tedious preparation process and poor trade-off among overall properties, i.e., mechanical and sensing performance, severely limits flexibility of electronics' applications. Herein, we have developed a rapid self-gelation system for achieving high-performance conductive hydrogel within several minutes at ambient condition. The rapid gelation mechanism is attributed to the hydroxyl radical species generated with the help of lignin nanoparticle-Mⁿ⁺¹ (Ag⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺) based on reversible redox reaction and MXene activization effect. By adjusting the material components, the cross-linked polymer network can be highly strengthened by multiple physical interactions and nano-reinforcement, strongly supporting the mechanical performance. Comparatively, Fe³⁺-based conductive hydrogel displays integrated merits of mechanical robustness, high stretchability and good electrical conductivity. Meanwhile, due to excellent mechanical and electrical performance, such hydrogel-based sensor possesses good sensing performance, i.e., high sensitivity (maximum GF: 1.08), cyclic reliability and wide work window (0-860 %), displaying promising application in strain-induced detection. Our sensors also produce stable and reliable signal output for signature/vocal recognition. Apparently, the strategy developed herein sets up an innovative concept for highly-efficient green fabricating advanced hydrogel materials for emerging wearable electronics.