Highly Stretchable Organogel Ionic Conductors with Extreme-Temperature Tolerance

Abstract

Stretchable ionic conductors with multiple functions provide new opportunities for flexible electronics, soft robots, and wearable devices. However, the practical applications of the existing stretchable ionic conductors are hampered greatly due to their poor stability. In this research, we prepared a novel organogel ionic conductor (OIC) via a simple photocuring method of 4-acryloylmorpholine in propylene carbonate. After being carefully optimized, the as-designed OICs demonstrate many unique advantages including high transparency (93%) in the visible region, extreme-temperature tolerance (from −100 to 100 °C), superb stretchability (elongation at break of 1219%), high ionic conductivity (7.9 × 10–4 S cm–1 at 25 °C), wide voltage window (5.0 V), and perfect chemical stability; these properties are not simultaneously available in hydrogels. When used as ionic conductors for stress sensors and electrolytes for LiCoO2/Li batteries, such novel OICs deliver rapid current responses and excellent electrochemical stability. OICs present the extensive potential applications in flexible and wearable devices.