A Transparent Poly(vinyl alcohol) Ion‐Conducting Organohydrogel for Skin‐Based Strain‐Sensing Applications

Abstract

AbstractThe increasing demand for cost‐efficient and user‐friendly wearable electronic devices has led to the development of stretchable electronics that are both cost‐effective and capable of maintaining sustained adhesion and electrical performance under duress. This study reports on a novel physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)‐based hydrogel that serves as a transparent, strain‐sensing skin adhesive for motion monitoring. By incorporating Zn2+into the ice‐templated PVA gel, a densified amorphous structure is observed through optical and scanning electron microscopy, and it is found that the material can stretch up to 800% strain according to tensile tests. Fabrication in a binary glycerol:water solvent results in electrical resistance in the kΩ range, a gauge factor of 0.84, and ionic conductivity on the scale of 10−4S cm−1, making it a potentially low‐cost candidate for a stretchable electronic material. This study characterizes the relationship between improved electrical performance and polymer–polymer interactions through spectroscopic techniques, which play a role in the transport of ionic species through the material.