Electrically Healable and Mechano-Sensitive Gel Composites of Carbon Nanotubes and Conducting Polymers

Abstract

We performed a one-pot mechanosynthesis of adaptive conducting gels using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and a non-volatile eutectic liquid (EL) of diphenylamine (DP) with benzophenone (BP). Upon further mixing with ammonium persulfate (APS), oxidative polymerization of DPs enabled the generation of electrically healable conductors containing poly(diphenylamine) (PDPA) as an adaptive matrix. The resulting composite gels were created through a synergistic combination of CNTs and PDPAs, which exhibited printable and conductive characteristics. Thus, after printing on an elastic substrate, the conducting ink composite displayed excellent electromechanical sensory properties. © 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim