Mussel-Inspired TA-Laponite-Doped Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Hydrogels as Antibacterial Strain Sensors with High Mechanical Toughness

Flexible hydrogel sensors have garnered significant interest owing to their biocompatibility and tissue similarity. Nevertheless, challenges such as inadequate mechanical strength, poor interface adhesion, lack of antimicrobial properties, and low conductivity impeded their practical utilization. This research aimed to address traditional hydrogels’ poor mechanical strength, interface adhesion issues, and lack of antibacterial properties, expanding their applications. Drawing inspiration from mussel adhesion, we crafted an innovative hydrogel using tannic acid (TA) as an adhesive, enhanced with ionic liquids (ILs) for the exfoliation of magnesium lithium silicate (Laponite) for mechanical improvement and carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs) for electrical enhancement. The prepared PAM/Lap-IL/TA/c-MWCNTs hydrogel showed a fracture stress of 461 kPa and a notable strain of 6800%, with an outstanding adhesive capacity (163 N/m). The prepared sensor can successfully monitor various human movements and exhibits good electrical conductivity (16.4 S/cm, GF = 3.15), quick reaction time (200 ms), and notable antibacterial activity. Crucially, this versatile conductive hydrogel has potential applications in electronic products and medical diagnostic health monitoring.