Double Hydrogen‐bonding Reinforced High‐Performance Supramolecular Hydrogel Thermocell for Self‐powered Sensing Remote‐Controlled by Light

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 33; no. 9
• Main Authors: Shi, Xiaofang, Ma, Lin, Li, Yingjie, Shi, Zhenpu, Wei, Qingcong, Ma, Guanglei, Zhang, Weiwei, Guo, Yuming, Wu, Peiyi, Hu, Zhiguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Bonding; Conversion; Crosslinking; Electric contacts; Electrolytes; Hydrogels; Hydrogen; light remote control; Materials science; mechanically robust; Poloxamers; Remote sensing; Remote sensors; Seebeck effect; self‐power; supramolecular hydrogels; thermocells; Viral diseases; Wearable technology
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202211720

Non‐contact human‐machine interaction is the future trend for wearable technologies. This demand is recently highlighted by the pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). Herein, an anti‐fatigue and highly conductive hydrogel thermocell with photo‐thermal conversion ability for non‐contact self‐powering applications is designed. Double hydrogen‐bonding enhanced supramolecular hydrogel is obtained with N‐acryloyl glycinamide (NAGA) and diacrylate capped Pluronic F68 (F68‐DA) via one‐step photo‐initiated polymerization. The supramolecular hydrogel can accommodate saturated electrolytes to fulfill the triple function of ionic crosslinking, heat‐to‐electricity conversion, and light response of thermocell. Eminently, the thermocell stands out by virtue of its high seebeck coefficient (‐2.17 mV K−1) and extraordinary toughness (Fatigue threshold ≈ 3120 J m−2). The self‐powering ability under the control of light heating is explored, and a model of a non‐contact “light‐remoted” sensor with self‐powered and sensing integrated performance remote‐controlled by light is constructed. It is believed that this study will pave the way for the non‐contact energy supply of wearable devices. This study develops a simple one‐step photoinitiation approach to design supramolecular hydrogel thermocells. This material shows the optimal comprehensive performance among existing quasi‐solid thermocells. The supramolecular hydrogel network can accommodate high‐concentration thermoelectric ions and empower the thermocell with an excellent photothermal effect. This study provides new inspiration for the material design for quasi‐solid thermocell and opens up new areas of non‐contact self‐powering wearable applications.