Skin-like cryogel electronics from suppressed-freezing tuned polymer amorphization.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37591882.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-40792-y and PMC identifier 10435499.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The sole situation of semi-crystalline structure induced single performance remarkably limits the green cryogels in the application of soft devices due to uncontrolled freezing field. Here, a facile strategy for achieving multifunctionality of cryogels is proposed using total amorphization of polymer. Through precisely lowering the freezing point of precursor solutions with an antifreezing salt, the suppressed growth of ice is achieved, creating an unusually weak and homogenous aggregation of polymer chains upon freezing, thereby realizing the tunable amorphization of polymer and the coexistence of free and hydrogen bonding hydroxyl groups. Such multi-scale microstructures trigger the integrated properties of tissue-like ultrasoftness (Young's modulus <10 kPa) yet stretchability, high transparency (~92%), self-adhesion, and instantaneous self-healing (<0.3 s) for cryogels, along with superior ionic-conductivity, antifreezing (-58 °C) and water-retention abilities, pushing the development of skin-like cryogel electronics. These concepts open an attractive branch for cryogels that adopt regulated crystallization behavior for on-demand functionalities.