Stretchable and self-healing conductive fibers from hierarchical silver nanowires-assembled network

Abstract

Conductive fibers (CFs) with features of high conductivity, stretchability, self-healability, and electromechanical stability are key components of the increasingly popular wearable electronics. However, since the lack of structural design of conductive network and interfacial interaction between soft polymer and conductive additives, it is still hard to enable CFs to meet above requirements. Here, we describe a facial drawing method from a hydrogel reservoir which is remolded into ultrathin and stretchable CFs with excellent multi-responsive self-healability. The hydrogel reservoir was fabricated in synergy of an ice-templating method and in situ polymerization using the assembled framework as a crosslinker. Relying on the effective fabrication mechanism, the diameter of CFs could be well-tuned from 90 to 400 µm by adjusting the dipping depth of the glass rod, accompanied with conductivity increased from 0.75 to 2.5 S/m. Since the hierarchical network structure was well maintained in the CFs, professional performances have been proved on the stretchability and electromechanical stability. The presence of massive hydrogen bonding and Ag–S bond enabled the CFs with excellent self-healability under the conditions of contact, electric field, and near infrared light, respectively. Excitingly, the CFs with high sensing property could be integrated into an advanced textile sensor through an effective healing-induced integration strategy, demonstrating its great potentials as superior two-dimensional (2D) electronic skins.