Flexible Porous Pomelo Pith Derived Janus Liquid Metal and Adhesive Hydrogel Hybrid Electronic Skins - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Flexible Porous Pomelo Pith Derived Janus Liquid Metal and Adhesive Hydrogel Hybrid Electronic Skins;

Authors: Li, Jinbo; Li, Wenzhao; Zhang, Hongbo; Yang, Yi; Zhao, Yuanjin

Publisher: Wiley

Publication year: 2026

Journal: Smart Medicine

Article number: e70040

Volume: 5

Issue: 3

ISSN: 2751-1871

eISSN: 2751-1871

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smmd.70040

Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access

Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel

Web address : https://doi.org/10.1002/smmd.70040

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526926480

Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY

Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF

Abstract

Liquid metal (LM)-derived electronic skin (e-skin) exhibits significant potential in the domains of human-machine interfaces, health monitoring and energy management. Herein, we introduce a cost-effective paradigm of LMs-derived e-skin featuring anti-freezing capability, efficient thermal management, and motion detection. The inexpensive and eco-friendly porous pomelo pith (PP) is employed as the substrate for the patterning of LM and as the physical scaffold for adhesive hydrogels. The unique porous architecture of the PP provides a natural template for the integration of LM and hydrogels, which facilitates the creation of electronic devices with improved flexibility and adhesion. The diverse patterning of nickel (Ni)-doped LM on the rough and porous pomelo pith surface is facilitated by the attractive force of a magnetic field applied below. The adhesive pre-gel is readily drawn into the pores of the pomelo pith due to capillary action. The resulting LM/PP hydrogel electronics are capable of rapid and stable Joule heating behavior and reliable motion detection. Additionally, the incorporation of glycerol endows this e-skin with superior freezing and desiccation resistance. Thus, this facile fabrication strategy successfully integrates excellent conductivity, adhesion, and environmental resilience, offering a promising paradigm for advanced wearable electronics.

Keywords:

Adhesive, electronic skin, Hydrogel, Liquid metal, pomelo pith

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Smart Medicine - 2026 - Li - Flexible Porous Pomelo Pith Derived Janus Liquid Metal and Adhesive Hydrogel Hybrid Electronic.pdf

Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant 2022YFB4700100), the Clinical Trials from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital (Grant 2022-LCYJ-ZD-01), Joint Fund of Henan Province Science and Technology R&D Program (Grant 225200810021), the Key Research & Development Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant BE2023653), the research funding of Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant YG2025QNB36). This work was also supported by Åbo Akademi University Foundation (SÅA) funded Center of Excellence in Research “Materials-driven solutions for combating antimicrobial resistance (MADNESS)” at ÅAU. Statement Regarding AI-assisted Technology: Gemini was utilized solely for language polishing and grammar refinement. This tool was not used to generate, analyze, or interpret any scientific content. The authors take full responsibility for the accuracy of the work.