A Scalable Bacterial Cellulose Ionogel for Multisensory Electronic Skin

Abstract

Electronic skin (e-skin), a new generation of flexible electronics, has drawn interest in soft robotics, artificial intelligence, and biomedical devices. However, most existing e-skins involve complex preparation procedures and are characterized by single-sensing capability and insufficient scalability. Here, we report on a one-step strategy in which a thermionic source is used for the in situ molecularization of bacterial cellulose polymeric fibers into molecular chains, controllably constructing an ionogel with a scalable mode for e-skin. The synergistic effect of a molecular-scale hydrogen bond interweaving network and a nanoscale fiber skeleton confers a robust tensile strength (up to 7.8 MPa) and high ionic conductivity (up to 62.58 mS/cm) on the as-developed ionogel. Inspired by the tongue to engineer the perceptual patterns in this ionogel, we present a smart e-skin with the perfect combination of excellent ion transport and discriminability, showing six stimulating responses to pressure, touch, temperature, humidity, magnetic force, and even astringency. This study proposes a simple, efficient, controllable, and sustainable approach toward a low-carbon, versatile, and scalable e-skin design and structure–performance development.