Self-Adhesive, Stretchable, and Thermosensitive Iontronic Hydrogels for Highly Sensitive Neuromorphic Sensing–Synaptic Systems

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Abstract
Artificial sensory afferent nerves that emulate receptor nanochannel perception and synaptic ionic information processing in chemical environments are highly desirable for bioelectronics. However, challenges persist in achieving life-like nanoscale conformal contact, agile multimodal sensing response, and synaptic feedback with ions. Here, a precisely tuned phase transition poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel is introduced through the water molecule reservoir strategy. The resulting hydrogel with strongly cross-linked networks exhibits excellent mechanical performance (∼2000% elongation) and robust adhesive strength. Importantly, the hydrogel's enhanced ionic conductance and heterogeneous structure of the temperature-sensitive component enable highly sensitive strain information perception (GFmax = 7.94, response time ∼ 87 ms), temperature information perception (TCRmax = -1.974%/°C, response time ∼ 270 ms), and low energy consumption synaptic plasticity (42.2 fJ/spike). As a demonstration, a neuromorphic sensing-synaptic system is constructed integrating iontronic strain/temperature sensors with fiber synapses for real-time information sensing, discrimination, and feedback. This work holds enormous potential in bioinspired robotics and bioelectronics.
Funding Information
  • Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A2083c0062, I2001E0067)
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFA1203304)
  • Ministry of Education - Singapore (MOE2019-T2-2-127, MOE-T2EP50120-0002, MOE-T2EP50123-0014, RG62/22)
  • Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (E1552102)
  • Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20220288)
  • Université de Recherche Paris Sciences et Lettres
  • Nanyang Technological University
  • Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science, Singapore Ministry of Education

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