Fabrication of lignocellulose/liquid metal-based conductive eutectic hydrogel composite for strain sensors

High conductive and freeze-resistant hydrogels with adhesion function are ideal candidates for soft electronic devices. However, it remains a challenge to design appropriate conductive nanofillers to endow hydrogels with all these characteristics. Liquid metal (LM) exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity and convenient processability, rendering it a highly promising contender. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were employed as the interfacial stabilizer in synthesizing stable CNFs encapsulated LM solutions. Then the lignin was further coated on the surface of CNFs-LM (LCL) to prepare lignin-coated hybrid hydrogels. The obtained LCL displayed outstanding water-dispersible stability and were promising conductive nanofillers for hydrogels. During the fabrication of poly N-(hydroxymethyl) acrylamide (PHA) hydrogels, the LM was dispersed into LM particles with smaller sizes, leading to highly conductive LCL-PHA hydrogels (0.38 S·m−1). The prepared LCL-PHA hydrogels exhibited exceptional mechanical properties, including a strain at a break of 134.6 %, stress at a break of 22.7 Kpa, and a toughness of 16.3 KJ·m−3. Additionally, the LCL-PHA hydrogels demonstrated favorable electrical conductivity and adhesion. Notably, even after being subjected to freezing at −20 °C for 24 h, they remained suitable for effective real-time monitoring of all types of human activities, demonstrating superior environmental stability.