Recently, the research team led by Prof. Ye Zhang from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences of Nanjing University has developed a novel metalgel that integrates the high electrical conductivity of metals with the elasticity of polymers, which transcends the conventional limits of material performance. Drawing inspiration from the structure of elastic hydrogels, the researchers exploited electrostatic interactions between the waterborne polyurethane network and liquid metal to immobilize 93.60%_wt liquid metal continuum within a three-dimensional polymer network. 

This distinctive structural design enables the metalgel with a high average electrical conductivity of 3 × 10⁶ S·m^-1, while achieving uniaxial strain up to 1100%. Importantly, after 1,000,000 stretching cycles at 100% strain, the metalgel maintains stable electrical performance, with its resistance increasing by only 3.3%. These findings were reported in Advanced Materials under the title "A Durable Metalgel Maintaining 3 × 10⁶ S·m^-1 Conductivity Under 1,000,000 Stretching Cycles."

Figure: Structural characterization of the durable metalgel

Source: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202420628