Multifunctional Conductive Hydrogels: Design Strategies and Applications in Wearable Sensors and Flexible Supercapacitors

Conductive hydrogels, with attractive attributes such as high electrical conductivity, intrinsic flexibility and elasticity, tunable mechanical properties, and biocompatibility, have demonstrated significant potential for applications in wearable electronics and flexible energy storage devices. Remarkable progress has been achieved in the rational design of conductive hydrogels in recent years. This review first systematically summarizes design strategies for both electronically and ionically conductive hydrogels. Subsequently, the recent advances in the rational design of conductive hydrogels with multifunctional properties, including mechanical properties, self-healing properties, adhesive properties, and anti-freezing properties, and representative applications in wearable sensors and flexible supercapacitors are reviewed. Finally, critical challenges and future perspectives are discussed, indicating future research directions in the field. This work aims to provide scientific insights to guide the design of multifunctional conductive hydrogels with excellent comprehensive performance and broaden their application scope.