Abstract
Conductive hydrogels are gaining attention in flexible electronics due to their high electrical conductivity and stretchable mechanical properties. Utilizing conductive hydrogels as electrodes in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) offers a promising avenue for developing versatile, flexible devices. However, the preparation of a multifunctional hydrogel-based TENG remains a challenging task. Here, a dual-network hydrogel TENG is denoted as DNH-TENG. It comprises poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS)/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT-COOH) and offers the advantages of straightforward fabrication, versatile applications, and efficient output performance. Preparing a double network by combining a conductive network with a soft network improves the tensile properties but reduces its conductivity significantly. Further doping MWCNT-COOH with the dual-network leads to a conjugation effect and hydrogen bonding. This enhancement fortifies the hydrogel structure and augments the electrode's conductivity and mechanical properties. In single electrode mode, the DNH-TENG exhibits a short-circuit current of 16.2 μA, a transfer charge of 97.3 nC, and an open-circuit voltage of 270.5 V. Furthermore, DNH-TENG exhibits an impressive stretchability, allowing it to be extended to 566%. Using DNH-TENG's exceptional stretchability and ultrahigh sensitivity to mechanical and temperature stimuli, we designed DNH-TENG-based sensor arrays to showcase temperature and pressure distribution monitoring applications.
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