Biobased antifatigue organohydrogel with superior ionic conductivity enabled by lignin nanostructures

Abstract

Organogels that exhibit efficient mechanical energy dissipation, high mechanical robustness, long-term durability, and outstanding ionic conductivity are promising for flexible electronic devices, yet integrating these attributes into a single material remains an outstanding challenge. Here, we present a biobased double-network organohydrogel synthesized via mild, catalyst-free crosslinking of lignin acetoacetate (LA) in Cyrene-water solvent mixture. The crosslinked LA network serves as the primary reinforcing component, generating a mesoporous structure that simultaneously enables efficient deformation, energy dissipation, and ionic conductivity. This architecture endows the organohydrogel with exceptional mechanical strength, antifatigue under repeated loading, and stable damping capacity at broad temperature and frequency range. As a resistive compression-type sensor, the organohydrogel responds to varying strain levels with consistent and reliable sensitivity. Overall, this family of biobased organohydrogels surpasses fossil-based counterparts and offer strong potential for next-generation flexible electronics.