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Nano Research 2022, 15(2): 1027-1038 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3591-9
Research Article | Issue | Published: 24 June 2021

Versatile sensing devices for self-driven designated therapy based on robust breathable composite films

Show Author's Information Zhaofeng Ouyang1,  Songbo Cui2,  Houyong Yu1,2,  Dewen Xu1,  Chuang Wang1,  Dongping Tang1,  Kam Chiu Tam2
Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech UniversityHangzhou 310018 China
Department of Chemical Engineering Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of WaterlooWaterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada
Keywords:
composite films, cellulose nanocrystals, polyvinyl alcohol, mechanical performances
Topics:
Conductive films
Cite this article:
Ouyang Z, Cui S, Yu H, et al. Versatile sensing devices for self-driven designated therapy based on robust breathable composite films. Nano Research, 2022, 15(2): 1027-1038. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3591-9
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Flexible wearable electronics were developed for applications such as electronic skins, human–machine interactions, healthcare monitoring, and anti-infection therapy. But conventional materials showed impermeability, single sensing ability, and no designated therapy, which hindered their applications. Thus it was still a great challenge to develop electronic devices with multifunctional sensing properties and self-driven anti-infection therapy. Herein, flexible and breathable on-skin electronic devices for multifunctional fabric based sensing and self-driven designated anti-infection therapy were prepared successfully with cellulose nanocrystals/iron(Ⅲ) ion/polyvinyl alcohol (CNC/Fe3+/PVA) composite. The resultant composite films possessed robust mechanical performances, outstanding conductivity, and distinguished breathability (3.03 kg/(m2·d)), which benefited from the multiple interactions of weak hydrogen bonds and Fe3+ chelation and synergistic effects among CNC, polyaniline (PANI), and PVA. Surprisingly, the film could be assembled as a multifunctional sensor to actively monitor real-time physical and infection related signals such as temperature, moisture, pH, NH3, and human movements even at sweat states. More importantly, this multifunctional device could act as a self-driven therapist to eliminate bacterial by the release of Fe3+, which was driven by the damage of metal coordination Fe–O bonds due to the high temperature caused by infection at wound sites. Thus, the composite films had potential versatile applications in electronic skins, smart wound dressings, human–machine interactions, and self-driven anti-infection therapy.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Versatile sensing devices for self-driven designated therapy based on robust breathable composite films

Show Author's information Zhaofeng Ouyang1, Songbo Cui2, Houyong Yu1,2, Dewen Xu1, Chuang Wang1, Dongping Tang1, Kam Chiu Tam2
Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Materials and Manufacturing Technology Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech UniversityHangzhou 310018 China
Department of Chemical Engineering Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of WaterlooWaterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada

Abstract

Flexible wearable electronics were developed for applications such as electronic skins, human–machine interactions, healthcare monitoring, and anti-infection therapy. But conventional materials showed impermeability, single sensing ability, and no designated therapy, which hindered their applications. Thus it was still a great challenge to develop electronic devices with multifunctional sensing properties and self-driven anti-infection therapy. Herein, flexible and breathable on-skin electronic devices for multifunctional fabric based sensing and self-driven designated anti-infection therapy were prepared successfully with cellulose nanocrystals/iron(Ⅲ) ion/polyvinyl alcohol (CNC/Fe3+/PVA) composite. The resultant composite films possessed robust mechanical performances, outstanding conductivity, and distinguished breathability (3.03 kg/(m2·d)), which benefited from the multiple interactions of weak hydrogen bonds and Fe3+ chelation and synergistic effects among CNC, polyaniline (PANI), and PVA. Surprisingly, the film could be assembled as a multifunctional sensor to actively monitor real-time physical and infection related signals such as temperature, moisture, pH, NH3, and human movements even at sweat states. More importantly, this multifunctional device could act as a self-driven therapist to eliminate bacterial by the release of Fe3+, which was driven by the damage of metal coordination Fe–O bonds due to the high temperature caused by infection at wound sites. Thus, the composite films had potential versatile applications in electronic skins, smart wound dressings, human–machine interactions, and self-driven anti-infection therapy.

Keywords: composite films, cellulose nanocrystals, polyvinyl alcohol, mechanical performances

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 16 March 2021
Revised: 11 May 2021
Accepted: 12 May 2021
Published: 24 June 2021
Issue date: February 2022

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Key Foundation of China (No. LZ20E030003), the Fundamental Research Funds of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (No. 2019Q001), and the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (No. 2018QNRC001).

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