Toward Next Generation Wearable Sensors Based on MXene Hydrogels

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of electronic and information technologies, such as artificial intelligence, medical monitoring, virtual reality, and human-machine interaction, flexible wearable sensors have gained increasing importance in the future smart life. Hydrogel materials have garnered widespread attention in the realm of wearable sensors due to their three-dimensional biomimetic structure, flexibility, biocompatibility, and other advantageous properties. However, current hydrogel sensors suffer from issues such as low conductivity, mechanical degradation, and water loss. By introducing two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, so-called MXenes to hydrogels, the MXene hydrogels are expected to show high electrical conductivity and excellent mechanical strength. Here in this manuscript, designing principles of MXene hydrogels are discussed in detail, together with strategies in enhancing the hydrogels’ electrical and mechanical properties toward next-generation wearable sensors. Challenges and potential applications, especially in strain sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, biosensors, and humidity sensors, etc., are provided. This work is expected to provide insightful instructions for designing of advanced hydrogel sensors.