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Riul A, de Barros A, Gaál G, Braunger ML, Martinez Jimenez MJ, Avila-Avendano C, Rodrigues V, de Andrade MJ, Quevedo-Lopez M, Alvarez F, Baughman RH. Self-Healing E-tongue. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:55073-55081. [PMID: 37967325 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Self-healing materials inspire the next generation of multifunctional wearables and Internet of Things appliances. They expand the realm of thin film fabrication, enabling seamless conformational coverage irrespective of the shape complexity and surface geometry for electronic skins, smart textiles, soft robotics, and energy storage devices. Within this context, the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique is versatile for homogeneously dispersing materials onto various matrices. Moreover, it provides molecular level thickness control and coverage on practically any surface, with poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) being the most used materials primarily employed in self-healing LbL structures operating at room temperature. However, achieving thin film composites displaying controlled conductivity and healing ability is still challenging under ambient conditions. Here, PEI and PAA are mixed with conductive fillers (gold nanorods, poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene): polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), reduced graphene oxides, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes) in distinct LbL film architectures. Electrical (AC and DC), optical (Raman spectroscopy), and mechanical (nanoindentation) measurements are used for characterizing composite structures and properties. A delicate balance among electrical, mechanical, and structural characteristics must be accomplished for a controlled design of conductive self-healing composites. As a proof-of-concept, four LbL composites were chosen as sensing units in the first reported self-healing e-tongue. The sensor can easily distinguish basic tastes at low molar concentrations and differentiate trace levels of glucose in artificial sweat. The formed nanostructures enable smart coverages that have unique features for solving current technological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Riul
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
- Alan MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Anerise de Barros
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Gabriel Gaál
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
| | - Maria L Braunger
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
| | - Mawin J Martinez Jimenez
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
| | - Carlos Avila-Avendano
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Varlei Rodrigues
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
| | - Mônica Jung de Andrade
- Alan MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Manuel Quevedo-Lopez
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Fernando Alvarez
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Campinas, SP 13083-859, Brazil
| | - Ray H Baughman
- Alan MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
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