Polymerization-Achieved Cyclodextrin Slide-Ring Supramolecular Hydrogel Self-Generating Flexible Electronic Device

Abstract

Supramolecular flexible electronic devices are one of the research hotspots due to their application in the fields of chemistry, biology, and materials. Herein, we reported a slide-ring supramolecular flexible electronic device, which is constructed by acrylamide (AAm), acrylic acid (AA), carboxymethyl-α-cyclodextrin (CM-α-CD), PEG₂₀₀₀₀ diacrylate (PEG₂₀₀₀₀DA), and calcium chloride via the photoinitiated polymerization, displaying not only the mechanical force-responded self-generation but also the human–computer information transfer. As compared with the polymer hydrogel, the addition of α-CD polypseudorotaxane to the hydrogel has notably enhanced both the tensile length and the tensile toughness, making it more suitable for flexible electronic device applications. The hydrogel can be stretched to ca. 15 times its original length and quickly recovers after the external force is removed. In addition, it also exhibits a conductivity of 0.21 S/m, demonstrating good electrical conductivity. Significantly, based on the slide-ring supramolecular array for energy harvesting, it can generate an open-circuit voltage of 420 V using the contact separation method for testing, which can be used as a flexible electronic device for human–computer information transfer.