Ultra-stretchable, toughened composite ionogel via synergetic hydration and hydrogen bonding interaction

Abstract

The majority of existing ionogels display weak toughness, which confines their potential applications. This manuscript presents a novel study on the development of ultra-stretchable, long-term stable and toughened composite ionogels manipulating hydration and hydrogen bond interactions. By leveraging the low evaporation rate of ionic liquids and their robust interactions with water, combined with the establishment of a hydrogen bond network between polyacrylic acid and fructose, the resulting optimized composite ionogel achieved a strain capacity of 2090% at room temperature. Remarkably, its toughness is further heightened under subzero temperatures (15.6 MJ/m³), representing a significant increase compared to its toughness at room temperature (4.4 MJ/m³). To exemplify its practicality, a wearable strain sensor is fabricated for the purpose of sensing and detecting motions in subzero temperature settings, potentially leading to the creation of freeze-yet toughened, ultra-stretchable materials for novel applications.