Gel-Based Materials for Intelligent Sensors and Self-Powered Nanogenerators

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 397

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongbuk 38541, Republic of Korea
Interests: hydrogels; tribology; wear-fatigue properties; gel-type soft flexible electronics; sensors; self-powered nanogenerators
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the recent advances in “gel-type” soft and stretchable electronics, scientists have created innovative devices that can sense “smartly” while functioning as self-powered nanogenerators. “Gel-type” soft polymer composites can integrate a polymeric gel matrix with embedded electrically conducting fillers and exhibit mechanical stretchability and electrical conductivity. This makes them useful for various engineering applications, including wearable technology, soft robotics, smart sensors, and self-powered nanogenerators. The polymer gel matrix provides soft and flexible frameworks such as hydrogels; ionogels; organogels; and soft elastomers such as silicone rubber. Electrically conducting fillers include graphene, carbon nanotubes, MXenes, etc. As intelligent sensors, these soft materials can conform to various shapes, respond to mechanical deformation, and enable real-time monitoring. Their application as gel sensors requires the gel-type soft polymer composite to possess various properties, including high sensitivity to mechanical stimuli, flexibility, self-healing, and biocompatibility. Similarly, self-powered nanogenerators also exhibit various configurations, including enhanced energy harvesting efficiency, sustainable power, the Internet of Things, and finally, integrated smart systems.   

This Special Issue aims to present the latest research, from both academics and industrial professionals, on gel-type soft polymer composite materials. The key topics of this Special Issue include the following:

  • Gel-type soft polymer composites such as hydrogels, ionogels, organogels, and soft elastomers.
  • Factors related to soft composites, such as mechanical behavior, electrical–thermal conductivity, self-healing mechanisms, and biocompatibility.
  • Factors related to intelligent sensing, such as sensitivity to mechanical stimuli, flexibility, stretchability, shape conformation, and real-time monitoring.
  • Factors related to self-powered nanogenerators, such as energy conversion efficiency, piezo-triboelectric coefficients, sustainable power sources, and the Internet of Things.

Dr. Vineet Kumar
Dr. Sang-Shin Park
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ionogels, organogels, and soft elastomers
  • carbon nanomaterials
  • smart sensing
  • self-powered nanogenerators
  • Internet of Things
  • real-time monitoring

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

33 pages, 9324 KiB  
Review
Hydrogels for Translucent Wearable Electronics: Innovations in Materials, Integration, and Applications
by Thirukumaran Periyasamy, Shakila Parveen Asrafali and Jaewoong Lee
Gels 2025, 11(5), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11050372 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 179
Abstract
Recent advancements in wearable electronics have significantly enhanced human–device interaction, enabling applications such as continuous health monitoring, advanced diagnostics, and augmented reality. While progress in material science has improved the flexibility, softness, and elasticity of these devices for better skin conformity, their optical [...] Read more.
Recent advancements in wearable electronics have significantly enhanced human–device interaction, enabling applications such as continuous health monitoring, advanced diagnostics, and augmented reality. While progress in material science has improved the flexibility, softness, and elasticity of these devices for better skin conformity, their optical properties, particularly transparency, remain relatively unexplored. Transparent wearable electronics offer distinct advantages: they allow for non-invasive health monitoring by enabling a clear view of biological systems and improve aesthetics by minimizing the visual presence of electronics on the skin, thereby increasing user acceptance. Hydrogels have emerged as a key material for transparent wearable electronics due to their high water content, excellent biocompatibility, and tunable mechanical and optical properties. Their inherent softness and stretchability allow intimate, stable contact with dynamic biological surfaces. Furthermore, their ability to support ion-based conductivity is advantageous for bioelectronic interfaces and physiological sensors. Current research is focused on advancing hydrogel design to improve transparency, mechanical resilience, conductivity, and adhesion. The core components of transparent wearable systems include physiological sensors, energy storage devices, actuators, and real-time displays. These must collectively balance efficiency, functionality, and long-term durability. Practical applications span continuous health tracking and medical imaging to next-generation interactive displays. Despite progress, challenges such as material durability, scalable manufacturing, and prolonged usability remain. Addressing these limitations will be crucial for the future development of transparent, functional, and user-friendly wearable electronics. Full article
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