An optoionic hydrogel with UV-regulated ion conductivity for reprogrammable iontronics: Logic processing and image sensing

The development of smart hydrogels capable of actively controlling ion conductivity is of paramount importance for iontronics. Most current work in this field focuses on enhancing the hydrogels’ ion conductivity. Few successes have been seen in achieving spatial regulation of ion flow through external control. Among various controls, light gives the best spatial and temporal resolution for practical iontronic applications. However, developing hydrogels that can generate drastic ion concentration change upon photoirradiation for tunable conductivity is challenging. Very few molecules can enable photoion generation, and most of them are hydrophobic and low quantum yield. Here, we present an optoionic hydrogel that uses triphenylmethane leuconitrile (TPMLN) for ultraviolet-regulated ion conductivity. Through postpolymerization TPMLN synthesizing, we can incorporate high concentration of the hydrophobic TPMLN in hydrogels without compromising the hydrogel’s mechanical integrity. Upon light irradiation, the hydrogel’s local conductivity can change an unprecedented 10-fold. We also demonstrated soft optoionic devices that are capable of logic processing and photo imaging.