A DMSO-modified porous organogel with breathability and degradability for wearable electronics

Abstract

Wearable electronics for real-time monitoring of the physical status of the human body have been significantly developed recently. However, the substrates of wearable electronics still suffer from the challenge, including weak mechanical properties, low breathability and weak degradation capabilities. Herein, a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-modified agar organogel (DSAO) with porous microstructures has been reported as a breathable and degradable substrate for wearable electronics. The DSAO exhibits excellent mechanical properties, where the fracture strength is as high as 34.21 MPa. In addition, DSAO exhibits excellent moisture permeability due to many tiny pores inside and can be degraded in 30 days. The devices constructed on the basis of DSAO exhibit superior pressure resolution with a pressure response of 50 mN and respond well to different pressure levels and frequencies, which demonstrates potential applications in wearable healthcare monitoring and intelligent robots.