IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v13y2022i1d10.1038_s41467-022-30691-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Superstrong, superstiff, and conductive alginate hydrogels

Author

Listed:
  • Donghwan Ji

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Jae Min Park

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Myeong Seon Oh

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Thanh Loc Nguyen

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Hyunsu Shin

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Jae Seong Kim

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Dukjoon Kim

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Ho Seok Park

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

  • Jaeyun Kim

    (Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
    Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
    Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
    Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU))

Abstract

For the practical use of synthetic hydrogels as artificial biological tissues, flexible electronics, and conductive membranes, achieving requirements for specific mechanical properties is one of the most prominent issues. Here, we demonstrate superstrong, superstiff, and conductive alginate hydrogels with densely interconnecting networks implemented via simple reconstructing processes, consisting of anisotropic densification of pre-gel and a subsequent ionic crosslinking with rehydration. The reconstructed hydrogel exhibits broad ranges of exceptional tensile strengths (8–57 MPa) and elastic moduli (94–1,290 MPa) depending on crosslinking ions. This hydrogel can hold sufficient cations (e.g., Li+) within its gel matrix without compromising the mechanical performance and exhibits high ionic conductivity enough to be utilized as a gel electrolyte membrane. Further, this strategy can be applied to prepare mechanically outstanding, ionic-/electrical-conductive hydrogels by incorporating conducting polymer within the hydrogel matrix. Such hydrogels are easily laminated with strong interfacial adhesion by superficial de- and re-crosslinking processes, and the resulting layered hydrogel can act as a stable gel electrolyte membrane for an aqueous supercapacitor.

Suggested Citation

  • Donghwan Ji & Jae Min Park & Myeong Seon Oh & Thanh Loc Nguyen & Hyunsu Shin & Jae Seong Kim & Dukjoon Kim & Ho Seok Park & Jaeyun Kim, 2022. "Superstrong, superstiff, and conductive alginate hydrogels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30691-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30691-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30691-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-022-30691-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Takao Someya & Zhenan Bao & George G. Malliaras, 2016. "The rise of plastic bioelectronics," Nature, Nature, vol. 540(7633), pages 379-385, December.
    2. Daniela Rus & Michael T. Tolley, 2015. "Design, fabrication and control of soft robots," Nature, Nature, vol. 521(7553), pages 467-475, May.
    3. Chuang Yu & Swapna Ganapathy & Ernst R. H. van Eck & Heng Wang & Shibabrata Basak & Zhaolong Li & Marnix Wagemaker, 2017. "Accessing the bottleneck in all-solid state batteries, lithium-ion transport over the solid-electrolyte-electrode interface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Zhen Zhang & Li He & Congcong Zhu & Yongchao Qian & Liping Wen & Lei Jiang, 2020. "Improved osmotic energy conversion in heterogeneous membrane boosted by three-dimensional hydrogel interface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Jetze Visser & Ferry P.W. Melchels & June E. Jeon & Erik M. van Bussel & Laura S. Kimpton & Helen M. Byrne & Wouter J.A. Dhert & Paul D. Dalton & Dietmar W. Hutmacher & Jos Malda, 2015. "Reinforcement of hydrogels using three-dimensionally printed microfibres," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Donghwan Ji & Joseph Liu & Jiayu Zhao & Minghao Li & Yumi Rho & Hwansoo Shin & Tae Hee Han & Jinhye Bae, 2024. "Sustainable 3D printing by reversible salting-out effects with aqueous salt solutions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Feifei Wang & Jipeng Zhang & Haotian Lu & Hanbing Zhu & Zihui Chen & Lu Wang & Jinyang Yu & Conghui You & Wenhao Li & Jianwei Song & Zhe Weng & Chunpeng Yang & Quan-Hong Yang, 2023. "Production of gas-releasing electrolyte-replenishing Ah-scale zinc metal pouch cells with aqueous gel electrolyte," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiao Liu & Jingping Wu & Keke Qiao & Guohan Liu & Zhengjin Wang & Tongqing Lu & Zhigang Suo & Jian Hu, 2022. "Topoarchitected polymer networks expand the space of material properties," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Jiadong Tang & Yun Wang & Hongyang Yang & Qianqian Zhang & Ce Wang & Leyuan Li & Zilong Zheng & Yuhong Jin & Hao Wang & Yifan Gu & Tieyong Zuo, 2024. "All-natural 2D nanofluidics as highly-efficient osmotic energy generators," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Shijing Zhang & Yingxiang Liu & Jie Deng & Xiang Gao & Jing Li & Weiyi Wang & Mingxin Xun & Xuefeng Ma & Qingbing Chang & Junkao Liu & Weishan Chen & Jie Zhao, 2023. "Piezo robotic hand for motion manipulation from micro to macro," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Amir Souhail & Passakorn vassakosol, 2018. "Low Cost Soft Robotic Grippers For Reliable Grasping," Journal of Mechanical Engineering Research & Developments (JMERD), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 41(4), pages 88-95, November.
    5. Jun Li & Corey Carlos & Hao Zhou & Jiajie Sui & Yikai Wang & Zulmari Silva-Pedraza & Fan Yang & Yutao Dong & Ziyi Zhang & Timothy A. Hacker & Bo Liu & Yanchao Mao & Xudong Wang, 2023. "Stretchable piezoelectric biocrystal thin films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Abbas Tariverdi & Venkatasubramanian Kalpathy Venkiteswaran & Ørjan Grøttem Martinsen & Ole Jacob Elle & Jim Tørresen & Sarthak Misra, 2020. "Dynamic modeling of soft continuum manipulators using lie group variational integration," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-29, July.
    7. Liang Zou & Huihui Tian & Shouliang Guan & Jianfei Ding & Lei Gao & Jinfen Wang & Ying Fang, 2021. "Self-assembled multifunctional neural probes for precise integration of optogenetics and electrophysiology," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    8. Yuxuan Sun & Liu Wang & Yangyang Ni & Huajian Zhang & Xiang Cui & Jiahao Li & Yinbo Zhu & Ji Liu & Shiwu Zhang & Yong Chen & Mujun Li, 2023. "3D printing of thermosets with diverse rheological and functional applicabilities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Chao Zhang & Zhuang Zhang & Yun Peng & Yanlin Zhang & Siqi An & Yunjie Wang & Zirui Zhai & Yan Xu & Hanqing Jiang, 2023. "Plug & play origami modules with all-purpose deformation modes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Jiang, Dongyue & Xu, Minyi & Dong, Ming & Guo, Fei & Liu, Xiaohua & Chen, Guijun & Wang, Zhong Lin, 2019. "Water-solid triboelectric nanogenerators: An alternative means for harvesting hydropower," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    11. Federico Pratissoli & Andreagiovanni Reina & Yuri Kaszubowski Lopes & Carlo Pinciroli & Genki Miyauchi & Lorenzo Sabattini & Roderich Groß, 2023. "Coherent movement of error-prone individuals through mechanical coupling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Mai, Van-Phung & Yang, Ruey-Jen, 2020. "Boosting power generation from salinity gradient on high-density nanoporous membrane using thermal effect," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    13. Petar Æurkoviæ & Antonio Jambreèiæ, 2020. "Improving structural design of soft actuators using finite element method analysis," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 18(4), pages 490-500.
    14. Yao Ni & Jiaqi Liu & Hong Han & Qianbo Yu & Lu Yang & Zhipeng Xu & Chengpeng Jiang & Lu Liu & Wentao Xu, 2024. "Visualized in-sensor computing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    15. Hanqi Zhao & Jian Wang & Yang Liu & Zhifan Chen & Jingqi Wang & Lin Chen, 2024. "Quality and Testing of Red Pepper Soft Picking Manipulator Based on RD-DEM Coupling," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Qiguo Gong, 2023. "Machine endowment cost model: task assignment between humans and machines," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    17. Jianhong Wang & Hanglong Wu & Xiaowei Zhu & Robby Zwolsman & Stijn R. J. Hofstraat & Yudong Li & Yingtong Luo & Rick R. M. Joosten & Heiner Friedrich & Shoupeng Cao & Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen & Jingx, 2024. "Ultrafast light-activated polymeric nanomotors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Guang Yao & Xiaoyi Mo & Shanshan Liu & Qian Wang & Maowen Xie & Wenhao Lou & Shiyan Chen & Taisong Pan & Ke Chen & Dezhong Yao & Yuan Lin, 2023. "Snowflake-inspired and blink-driven flexible piezoelectric contact lenses for effective corneal injury repair," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    19. Hayato Saigo & Makoto Naruse & Kazuya Okamura & Hirokazu Hori & Izumi Ojima, 2019. "Analysis of Soft Robotics Based on the Concept of Category of Mobility," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-12, March.
    20. Jin Wang & Zheng Cui & Shangzhen Li & Zeyuan Song & Miaolu He & Danxi Huang & Yuan Feng & YanZheng Liu & Ke Zhou & Xudong Wang & Lei Wang, 2024. "Unlocking osmotic energy harvesting potential in challenging real-world hypersaline environments through vermiculite-based hetero-nanochannels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30691-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.