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Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrogel Nanocomposites Based on Acrylic Monomers for Flexible Electronics

Naghshini Piranjouqi, Mozhgan | 2025

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 58002 (06)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Shojaei, Akbar; Rahmani, Pooria
  7. Abstract:
  8. Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks capable of absorbing significant amounts of water. Recently, hydrogels based on acrylic monomers have garnered significant attention from researchers for the fabrication of motion sensors that monitor body movements, owing to their inherent ionic conductivity, remarkable flexibility, and biocompatibility. However, one of the common limitations of these hydrogels for practical applications is their inadequate mechanical properties. In this study, hydrophobic physical crosslinks formed from micelles of hydrophobic monomers and coordination-based physical crosslinks induced by trivalent iron ions (Fe³⁺), along with tannic acid (TA)-modified UIO-66 nanoparticles, were employed to achieve desirable toughness. In the first part of the study, experimental design was used to evaluate the properties of base hydrogels containing hydrophobic and Fe³⁺ coordination crosslinks in terms of crosslink density, network morphology, tensile and compressive properties, and electrical conductivity. The type of crosslinking and the concentration of the components were optimized to simultaneously enhance mechanical properties and ionic conductivity. In the second part, UIO-66@TA nanoparticles were incorporated to increase the crosslink density and improve the toughness of the optimized base hydrogel from the first part. The findings demonstrated that the HAPAA-Fe³⁺/UIO-66@TA hydrogel nanocomposite exhibited approximately 1500% flexibility, a toughness of 1.6 MJ/m³, a tensile elastic modulus of 60 kPa, and an ionic conductivity of 1 S/m. Furthermore, this nanocomposite, with a gauge factor (GF) of approximately 1.77, was capable of measuring strains up to 600% and effectively monitoring human joint movements. In the final section, the HAPAA-Fe³⁺/UIO-66@TA hydrogel, due to its high flexibility and conductivity, was utilized as the electrode in a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). Ultimately, the application of this hydrogel nanocomposite as a self-powered strain sensor for monitoring body movements via a triboelectric mechanism was investigated. This approach not only eliminated the need for an external power source but also leveraged the silicone rubber, used for its triboelectric properties, as a protective layer to prevent water evaporation from the hydrogel. The TENG performance results of this sensor showed that the open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and maximum power density at a load resistance of 10 MΩ were approximately 40 V, 15 µA, and 1.4 W/m², respectively
  9. Keywords:
  10. Hydrogel ; Conductive Hydrogels ; Strain Sensor ; Self-Powered Sensor ; Flexible Electronics ; Hydrogel Nanocomposite ; Acrylics Monomers

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