Room-temperature self-healing graphene/rubber-based supramolecular elastomers utilized by dynamic boroxines and hydrogen bonds for human motion detection

Abstract

Flexible electronic sensors with self-healing capabilities exhibit distinctive fascination in human motion detection. However, it remains challenging in the mechanically robustness, highly healing efficiency, mildly healing condition, and steady electrical performance. Here, a self-healing nanostructured graphene/rubber-based supramolecular elastomer (GRSE) with a covalent/non-covalent system is rationally designed. The 1-pyrenamine-modified graphene nanosheets (GPA) disperse uniformly on the modified epoxy natural rubber (S-ENR), leading to good electrical conductivity (0.0029 S−1 m), low percolation threshold (2.73 wt%), a fast-response time (250 ms), and a low stress-strain detection range (1 %). Based on the synergistic effect of dynamic boroxines and interfacial hydrogen binding, GRSE-based sensor exhibits excellent mechanical strength (3.46 MPa) and high-performance healing efficiency (η = 91.1 %) at room temperature. The GRSE-based sensor can still detect precise and stable sensing signals accurately in human movements (including breath, speech, facial expression, and joint motion) after healing, implying a promising route to develop an efficient and robust self-healing flexible sensor for the more durable human motion detection in practice.