One-Step Polymerization of Natural Molecule-Based Humidity-Sensitive and Recyclable Elastomers for Stretchable Electronic Conductors

Elastomer-based electronic devices can maintain electrochemical conductivity and mechanical performances simultaneously, revealing promising potential to construct stretchable sensors. While sensors with integrated functionalities such as extremely stretchable, wearable, and highly sensitive properties are still challenging. Herein, in current work, a natural molecule, thioctic acid (TA), is utilized to construct high-performance supramolecular polymeric elastomers with integrated functionalities by a lactic acid (LA)-assistant, simple, and effective one-step polymerization route. Poly(TA–LA) elastomers present moderate mechanical performance, reaching a stretchability of over 800% strain. And cyclic mechanical performance performs well under 200% strain as well, in which overlaps are found in cycle tensile curves. Moreover, poly(TA–LA) elastomers present excellent humidity sensitivity as well as recyclability, indicating promising potential toward multifunctional and environmentally friendly applications. Simple preparation route, multiple functionalities, and green feature endow poly(TA–LA) elastomers with outstanding application prospect as strain sensors when composited with PEDOT–PSS. Excellent conductivity sensitivity of poly(TA–LA)–PEDOT–PSS strain sensors in detecting mechanical deformations (especially strains at a small level from 0.5 to 5%) such as finger bending at various angles is evaluated. This work indicates an avenue toward constructing recyclable, stretchable, and wearable electronic devices for monitoring human movements in real time.