Nanocellulose-mediated conductive hydrogels with NIR photoresponse and fatigue resistance for multifunctional wearable sensors

The rapid development of hydrogels has garnered significant attention in health monitoring and human motion sensing. However, the synthesis of multifunctional conductive hydrogels with excellent strain/pressure sensing and photoresponsiveness remains a challenge. Herein, the conductive hydrogels (BPTP) with excellent mechanical properties, fatigue resistance and photoresponsive behavior composed of polyacrylamide (PAM) matrix, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxy-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs) reinforcement and polydopamine-modified black phosphorus (BP@PDA) photosensitizer are prepared through a facile free-radical polymerization approach. The PDA adhered to the BP surface by π-π stacking promotes the optical properties of BP while also preventing BP oxidation from water. Through hydrogen bonding interactions, TOCNs improve the homogeneous dispersion of BP@PDA nanosheets and the mechanical toughness of BPTP. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of PDA and TOCNs, the conductive BPTP integrates superior mechanical performances, excellent photoelectric response and photothermal conversion capability. The BPTP-based sensor with high cycling stability demonstrates superior strain sensitivity (GF = 6.0) and pressure sensing capability (S = 0.13 kPa−1) to monitor various human activities. Therefore, this work delivers an alternative construction strategy for generating high-performance conductive hydrogels as multifunctional wearable sensors.