Home > Publications database > A Highly Robust Ionotronic Fiber with Unprecedented Mechanomodulation of Ionic Conduction |
Journal Article | FZJ-2021-03873 |
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2021
Wiley-VCH
Weinheim
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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/29924 doi:10.1002/adma.202103755
Abstract: Stretchable ionic conductors are appealing for tissue-like soft electronics, yet suffer from a tardy mechanoelectric response due to their poor modulation of ionic conduction arising from intrinsic homogeneous soft chain network. Here, a highly robust ionotronic fiber is designed by synergizing ionic liquid and liquid crystal elastomer with alternate rigid mesogen units and soft chain spacers, which shows an unprecedented strain-induced ionic conductivity boost (≈103 times enhanced as stretched to 2000% strain). Such a surprisingly high enhancement is attributed to the formation of microphase-separated low-tortuosity ion-conducting nanochannels guided by strain-induced emergence of aligned smectic mesophases, thus allowing for ultrafast ion transport that resembles the role of “swimming lanes.” Intriguingly, the boosting conductivity even reverses Pouillet's Law-dictated resistance increase at certain strains, leading to unique waveform-discernible strain sensing. Moreover, the fiber retains thermal actuation properties with a maximum of 70% strain changes upon heating, and enables integrated self-perception and actuation. The findings offer a promising molecular engineering route to mechanically modulate the ion transport behavior of ionic conductors toward advanced ionotronic applications.
Keyword(s): Chemical Reactions and Advanced Materials (1st) ; Materials Science (2nd) ; Soft Condensed Matter (2nd)
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