Highly Stretchable, Self-Healable and Self-Adhesive Double-Network Eutectogel Based on Gellan Gum and Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvent for Strain Sensing

Graphical A physically crosslinked double-network eutectogel with integrating stretchability, toughness, transparency, self-healing and self-adhesive performances is fabricated by physical gelation of gellan gum in deep eutectic solvent (DES) and combined with a supramolecular poly (ChCl-HEA) network based on polymerizable DES for wearable sensor application. Recently, eutectogels have gained significant attention as promising materials for wearable devices. However, developing eutectogels with integrated stretchability, good toughness, self-healing, and self-adhesive properties through non-covalent scaffold assembly is a major challenge. In this study, a fully physically crosslinked double-network (DN) eutectogel was fabricated by exploiting the high solubility and gelation of gellan gum in a deep eutectic solvent (DES) to form the first physically crosslinked network and combining it with supramolecular poly (2-hydroxyethyl acrylate-choline chloride, HEA-ChCl). The resulting gel showed high stretchability (1835 %), toughness (7.65 MJ m −3 ), desirable ionic conductivity (0.41 mS cm −1 ), adhesion, and high transparency. Assembling the gel into strain sensors allows precise monitoring of human motion (finger, wrist, elbow, and knee). The results of this study suggest that gellan gum/poly (ChCl-HEA) DN eutectogels have significant potential as highly sensitive and reliable strain sensors for wearable technology applications.