Fibrillation of well-formed conductive aerogel for soft conductors

Abstract

Cellular-structured aerogels are usually formed by lyophilization with a slow freeze-drying process. However, there remains a challenge to improve the flexibility of a well-formed aerogel with cellular structures. In this study, cellular structural conductive polymer aerogels were fibrillated with the assistance of the post vapor annealing technique and a functional copolymer, polyethylene-block-poly (ethylene glycol) (PBP). The underlying mechanism lies in the thin walls of the cellular-structured aerogel transformed into fibers during the melting and flowing of PBP parts through ethylene glycol vapor annealing. Moreover, the PBP segments of polyethylene and polyethylene glycol (PEG) act as plasticizers and conductivity enhancers, improving the aerogel's flexibility and electrical conductivity. The fibrillated conductive polymer aerogels were used as sensing elements in strain sensors and electrodes in the triboelectric nanogenerator, demonstrating their potential in soft conductors.