Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors
Protein-based hydrogels with stretchability and conductivity have potential applications in wearable electronic devices. However, the development of protein-based biocomposite hydrogels is still limited. In this work, we used natural ferritin to develop a PVA/ferritin biocomposite hydrogel by a repe...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/59 |
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| author | Qiang Fu Junxiao Tang Weimin Wang Rongjie Wang |
| author_facet | Qiang Fu Junxiao Tang Weimin Wang Rongjie Wang |
| author_sort | Qiang Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Protein-based hydrogels with stretchability and conductivity have potential applications in wearable electronic devices. However, the development of protein-based biocomposite hydrogels is still limited. In this work, we used natural ferritin to develop a PVA/ferritin biocomposite hydrogel by a repetitive freeze–thaw method. In this biocomposite hydrogel, ferritin, as a nano spring, forms a hydrogen bond with the PVA networks, which reduces the crystallinity of PVA and significantly improves the stretchability of the hydrogel. The fracture strain of the PVA/ferritin hydrogel is 203%, and the fracture stress is 112.2 kPa. The fracture toughness of the PVA/ferritin hydrogel is significantly enhanced to 147.03 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, more than 3 times that of the PVA hydrogel (39.17 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>). In addition, the free residues and iron ions of ferritin endow the biocomposite hydrogel with enhanced ionic conductivity (0.15 S/m). The strain sensor constructed from this hydrogel shows good sensitivity (gauge factor = 1.7 at 150% strain), accurate real-time resistance response, and good long cyclic working stability when used for joint motion monitoring. The results indicate that a PVA/ferritin biocomposite hydrogel prepared by a facile method has enhanced stretchability and conductivity for flexible strain sensors. This work develops a new method for the preparation of protein-based hydrogels for wearable electronic devices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6bdd9c4fa4cc4914a256815b28fc63b6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-6bdd9c4fa4cc4914a256815b28fc63b62025-01-24T13:33:57ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-01-011115910.3390/gels11010059Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain SensorsQiang Fu0Junxiao Tang1Weimin Wang2Rongjie Wang3China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Research Institute 712, Wuhan 430064, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaProtein-based hydrogels with stretchability and conductivity have potential applications in wearable electronic devices. However, the development of protein-based biocomposite hydrogels is still limited. In this work, we used natural ferritin to develop a PVA/ferritin biocomposite hydrogel by a repetitive freeze–thaw method. In this biocomposite hydrogel, ferritin, as a nano spring, forms a hydrogen bond with the PVA networks, which reduces the crystallinity of PVA and significantly improves the stretchability of the hydrogel. The fracture strain of the PVA/ferritin hydrogel is 203%, and the fracture stress is 112.2 kPa. The fracture toughness of the PVA/ferritin hydrogel is significantly enhanced to 147.03 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>, more than 3 times that of the PVA hydrogel (39.17 kJ/m<sup>3</sup>). In addition, the free residues and iron ions of ferritin endow the biocomposite hydrogel with enhanced ionic conductivity (0.15 S/m). The strain sensor constructed from this hydrogel shows good sensitivity (gauge factor = 1.7 at 150% strain), accurate real-time resistance response, and good long cyclic working stability when used for joint motion monitoring. The results indicate that a PVA/ferritin biocomposite hydrogel prepared by a facile method has enhanced stretchability and conductivity for flexible strain sensors. This work develops a new method for the preparation of protein-based hydrogels for wearable electronic devices.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/59polyvinyl alcoholferritinbiocomposite hydrogelflexiblestrain sensor |
| spellingShingle | Qiang Fu Junxiao Tang Weimin Wang Rongjie Wang Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors Gels polyvinyl alcohol ferritin biocomposite hydrogel flexible strain sensor |
| title | Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors |
| title_full | Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors |
| title_fullStr | Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors |
| title_short | Biocomposite Polyvinyl Alcohol/Ferritin Hydrogels with Enhanced Stretchability and Conductivity for Flexible Strain Sensors |
| title_sort | biocomposite polyvinyl alcohol ferritin hydrogels with enhanced stretchability and conductivity for flexible strain sensors |
| topic | polyvinyl alcohol ferritin biocomposite hydrogel flexible strain sensor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/1/59 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT qiangfu biocompositepolyvinylalcoholferritinhydrogelswithenhancedstretchabilityandconductivityforflexiblestrainsensors AT junxiaotang biocompositepolyvinylalcoholferritinhydrogelswithenhancedstretchabilityandconductivityforflexiblestrainsensors AT weiminwang biocompositepolyvinylalcoholferritinhydrogelswithenhancedstretchabilityandconductivityforflexiblestrainsensors AT rongjiewang biocompositepolyvinylalcoholferritinhydrogelswithenhancedstretchabilityandconductivityforflexiblestrainsensors |