High Strength and Toughness Polymeric Triboelectric Materials Enabled by Dense Crystal-Domain Cross-Linking

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00918
• Publication Date: 2024-03-18T21:46:14Z
• Authors: Chenchen Cai; Xiangjiang Meng; Lixin Zhang; Bin Luo; Yanhua Liu; Tao Liu; Song Zhang; Jinlong Wang; Mingchao Chi; Cong Gao; Yayu Bai; Shuangfei Wang; Shuangxi Nie

Lightweight, easily processed, and durable polymeric materials play a crucial role in wearable sensor devices. However, achieving simultaneously high strength and toughness remains a challenge. This study addresses this by utilizing an ion-specific effect to control crystalline domains, enabling the fabrication of a polymeric triboelectric material with tunable mechanical properties. The dense crystal-domain cross-linking enhances energy dissipation, resulting in a material boasting both high tensile strength (58.0 MPa) and toughness (198.8 MJ m-3), alongside a remarkable 416.7% fracture elongation and 545.0 MPa modulus. Leveraging these properties, the material is successfully integrated into wearable self-powered devices, enabling real-time feedback on human joint movement. This work presents a valuable strategy for overcoming the strength-toughness trade-off in polymeric materials, paving the way for their enhanced applicability and broader use in diverse sensing applications.