Hydrogel-Based Flexible Electronics and Devices

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 2467

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: gas sensors; sensitive films; flexible electronics; gel materials; chemiresistors

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 202 Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: hydrogel; multifunctional nanostructured materials (thin films, oxides, semiconductors)

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: sol–gel; gas sensing; catalysis; electric measurement; gel materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For the past 60 years, the field of hydrogels has received considerable attention; they are biocompatible, soft, and highly flexible, making them suitable for a wide range of applications such as biomedical sensors, wearable electronics, soft robotics, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, artificial organs, stretchable and biocompatible electronics, energy harvesting, and environmental monitoring. Hydrogel-based flexible electronics and devices represent a promising area of research and development at the intersection of materials science, electronics, and biomedical engineering. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, crosslinked networks of water-absorbing polymers that can hold a large amount of water while maintaining their structural integrity. The ability of hydrogels to absorb water results from hydrophilic functional groups attached to their polymeric structure, while their resistance to dissolution arises from cross-links between network chains. Many materials, both naturally occurring (collagen, gelatin) and synthetic, fit the definition of hydrogels. During the last three decades, natural hydrogels were gradually replaced by synthetic hydrogels with higher durability, improved water absorption capacity, and higher gel strength. While hydrogel-based flexible electronics offer numerous advantages, there are challenges to overcome, such as ensuring long-term stability, improving conductivity, and addressing potential biocompatibility issues.

Research in hydrogel-based flexible electronics and devices continues to advance, and it holds the potential to revolutionize various fields, from healthcare to robotics, by enabling the development of more comfortable, adaptable, and biocompatible electronic systems. Therefore, new submissions in our Special Issue of Gels, entitled “Hydrogel-Based Flexible Electronics and Devices”, especially application-oriented submissions, are welcome.

Dr. Paul Chesler
Dr. Mihai Anastasescu
Dr. Cristian Hornoiu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • hydrogel applications
  • flexible devices
  • flexible electronics
  • wearable electronics
  • flexible biosensors
  • soft robotics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 4626 KiB  
Article
Developments in Nanostructured MoS2-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Aerogel as an Electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
by Sadhasivam Thangarasu, Mrunal Bhosale, Gowthami Palanisamy and Tae Hwan Oh
Gels 2024, 10(9), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10090558 - 28 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1644
Abstract
Developing lightweight, highly active surfaces with a high level of performance and great stability is crucial for ensuring the dependability of energy harvesting and conversion devices. Aerogel-based electrocatalysts are an efficient option for electrocatalytic hydrogen production because of their numerous benefits, such as [...] Read more.
Developing lightweight, highly active surfaces with a high level of performance and great stability is crucial for ensuring the dependability of energy harvesting and conversion devices. Aerogel-based electrocatalysts are an efficient option for electrocatalytic hydrogen production because of their numerous benefits, such as their compatibility with interface engineering and their porous architecture. Herein, we report on the facile synthesis of a nanorod-like molybdenum sulfide–reduced graphene oxide (M-rG) aerogel as an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The 3D architecture of the network-like structure of the M-rG hybrid aerogel was created via the hydrothermal technique, using a saturated NaCl solution-assisted process, where the MoS2 was homogeneously incorporated within the interconnected rGO aerogel. The optimized M-rG-300 aerogel electrocatalyst had a significantly decreased overpotential of 112 mV at 10 mA/cm2 for the HER in alkaline conditions. The M-rG-300 also showed a higher level of reliability. The remarkable efficiency of the HER involving the M-rG-300 is principally attributed to the excellent connectivity between the rGO and MoS2 in the aerogel structure. The efficient interconnection influenced the achievement of a larger electrochemically active surface area, increased electrical conductivity, and the exposure of more active sites for the HER. Furthermore, the creation of a synergistic effect in the M-rG-300 aerogel is the most probable mechanism to boost the electrocatalytic activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogel-Based Flexible Electronics and Devices)
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