Double Hydrogen‐bonding Reinforced High‐Performance Supramolecular Hydrogel Thermocell for Self‐powered Sensing Remote‐Controlled by Light

Abstract

Non‐contact human‐machine interaction is the future trend for wearable technologies. This demand is recently highlighted by the pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). Herein, an anti‐fatigue and highly conductive hydrogel thermocell with photo‐thermal conversion ability for non‐contact self‐powering applications is designed. Double hydrogen‐bonding enhanced supramolecular hydrogel is obtained with N‐acryloyl glycinamide (NAGA) and diacrylate capped Pluronic F68 (F68‐DA) via one‐step photo‐initiated polymerization. The supramolecular hydrogel can accommodate saturated electrolytes to fulfill the triple function of ionic crosslinking, heat‐to‐electricity conversion, and light response of thermocell. Eminently, the thermocell stands out by virtue of its high seebeck coefficient (‐2.17 mV K−1) and extraordinary toughness (Fatigue threshold ≈ 3120 J m−2). The self‐powering ability under the control of light heating is explored, and a model of a non‐contact “light‐remoted” sensor with self‐powered and sensing integrated performance remote‐controlled by light is constructed. It is believed that this study will pave the way for the non‐contact energy supply of wearable devices.

Strong Tough Thermogalvanic Hydrogel Thermocell With Extraordinarily High Thermoelectric Performance

“…Thus, it can effectively obtain a stable heat source from the human body and convert thermal energy into electrical energy for driving low-power medical devices (sphygmomanometer, heart rate belt, etc.). We compare the values of S c , P max /(ΔT) 2 , stress, stretchability, and 𝜎 obtained for our SPTC with previously reported stretchable thermogalvanic hydrogels [22,23,28,37,[46][47][48] (Figure 5, Table S2, Supporting Information). Dual-network thermocells exhibit a moderately high conductivity of ≈12.0 S m −1 .…”

“…and the comprehensive comparison of the SPTC with previous quasi-solid stretchable thermogalvanic thermocells in terms of the S c , 𝜎, stretchability, stress, and P max /(ΔT) 2 . [22,23,28,37,[46][47][48] For each parameter, the distance of the data point from the center of the radar plot reflects its value. The data used above are summarized in Table S2 (Supporting Information).…”

“…Hence, it represents the best research until now on thermogalvanic hydrogels with excellent TE and mechanical properties. [22,23,28,37,[46][47][48]…”

“…Schematic diagram of employing the SPTC to power up the medical devices (sphygmomanometer, heart rate belt, etc.) and the comprehensive comparison of the SPTC with previous quasi-solid stretchable thermogalvanic thermocells in terms of the S c , 𝜎, stretchability, stress, and P max /(ΔT) 2 [22,23,28,37,[46][47][48]. For each parameter, the distance of the data point from the center of the radar plot reflects its value.…”

Reversible organohydrogels based on dynamic hydrogen bonding among water, dimethyl sulfoxide, and polyethylene glycol

“…4 Many intelligent gels with high performance have been developed by demanding gelation processes for advanced applications, 5,6 meaning that they are irreversible or have harsh reversible conditions. 7 For example, chemically synthesized gel networks are typically formed by ultraviolet radiation, high temperature, or the presence of a curing agent, which can form strong chemical bonds, 8,9 indicating poor reversibility. Thermal fluctuation can convert the phase with the thermal driving factor of non-chemical bonding, such as hydrogen bonding, p-p stacking, ionic interaction, steric hindrance, and hydrophobic interaction.…”