MXene-Mediated Cellulose Hydrogels for Intelligent Sensing in Flexible Electronics

Achieving a balance among conductivity, mechanical robustness, and environmental adaptability is an important challenge in applying hydrogels to flexible electronic devices. Here, we report a cellulose/ZnCl2/MXene hydrogel fabricated through the dissolution of cotton cellulose in a ZnCl2 system and the incorporation of MXene nanosheets. The resulting hydrogel exhibited exceptional mechanical strength. The optimized hydrogel (GM-3) demonstrated an impressive conductivity of 4.4 S m–1, which was attributed primarily to the presence of MXene. The layered MXene structure not only establishes continuous electron transport pathways but also reduces the tortuosity of ionic migration. This MXene-optimized conductivity endows the hydrogel with high-pressure sensitivity and rapid response-recovery times, making it highly suitable for intelligent sensing applications. Furthermore, the hydrogel maintains its performance across a broad temperature range (−25 to 45 °C), which can fully meet the regular usage requirements of electronic skin applications.