Liquid metal and Mxene enable self-healing soft electronics based on double networks of bacterial cellulose hydrogels.

Liquid metal (LM) nanodroplets and MXene nanosheets are integrated with sulfonated bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and acrylic acid (AA). Upon fast sonication, AA polymerization leads to a crosslinked composite hydrogel in which BNC exfoliates Mxene, forming organized conductive pathways. Soft conducting properties are achieved in the presence of colloidally stable core-shell LM nanodroplets. Due to the unique gelation mechanism and the effect of Mxene, the hydrogels spontaneously undergo surface wrinkling, which improves their electrical sensitivity (GF = 8.09). The hydrogels are further shown to display interfacial adhesion to a variety of surfaces, ultra-elasticity (tailorable elongation, from 1000 % to 3200 %), indentation resistance and self-healing capabilities. Such properties are demonstrated in wearable, force mapping, multi-sensing and patternable electroluminescence devices. [Display omitted] • Nanocellulose-supported LM/MXene composite hydrogels are formed by one-step sonication. • The polymer matrix effectively disperses core-shell LM nanodroplets and MXene nanosheets. • The hydrogels display ultra-elasticity, indentation resistance and self-healing properties. • The composite hydrogel is demonstrated for sensing, force mapping and electroluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]