Shape and stiffness memory ionogels with programmable pressure-resistance response

Abstract

Flexible pressure sensors usually require functional materials with both mechanical compliance and appropriate electrical performance. Most sensors based on materials with limited compressibility can hardly balance between high sensitivity and broad pressure range. Here, we prepare a heterophasic ionogel with shape and stiffness memory for adaptive pressure sensors. By combining the microstructure alignment for stiffness changing and shape memory micro-inclusions for stiffness fixing, the heterophasic ionogels reveal tunable compressibility. This controllable pressure-deformation property of the ionogels results in the pressure sensors’ programmable pressure-resistance behavior with tunable pressure ranges, varied detection limits, and good resolution at high pressure. Broad pressure ranges to 220 and 380 kPa, and tunable detection limit from 120 to 330 and 950 Pa are realized by the stiffness memory ionogel sensors. Adaptive detection is also brought out to monitor tiny pressure changes at low stiffness and distinguish different human motions at high stiffness. Using shape and stiffness memory materials in pressure sensors is a general design to achieve programmable performance for more complex application scenarios.