@article{rahmani_shojaei_sakorikar_wang_mendoza-apodaca_dickey_2024, title={Liquid Metal Nanoparticles Physically Hybridized with Cellulose Nanocrystals Initiate and Toughen Hydrogels with Piezoionic Properties}, volume={3}, ISSN={["1936-086X"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c11063}, DOI={10.1021/acsnano.3c11063}, abstractNote={Liquid metal (LM) particles can serve as initiators, functional fillers, and cross-linkers for hydrogels. Herein, we show that cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) stabilize LM particles in aqueous solutions, such as those used to produce hydrogels. The CNC-coated LM particles initiate free-radical polymerization to form poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogel with exceptional properties─stretchability ∼2000%, excellent toughness ∼1.8 MJ/m3, mechanical resilience, and efficient self-healing─relative to cross-linked PAA networks polymerized using conventional molecular initiators. FTIR spectroscopy, rheology, and mechanical measurements suggest that physical bonds between PAA and both Ga3+ and LM-CNC particles contribute to the excellent mechanical properties. The gels are used to sense a wide range of strains, such as those associated with human motion, via changes in resistance through the gel. The sensitivity at low strains enables monitoring subtle physiological signals, such as pulse. Without significantly compromising the toughness, soaking the gels in salt solution brings about high ionic conductivity (3.8 S/m), enabling them to detect touch via piezoionic principles; the anions in the gel have higher mobility than cations, resulting in significant charge separation (current ∼30 μA, ∼10 μA/cm2) through the gel in response to touch. These attractive properties are promising for wearable sensors, energy harvesters, and self-powered ionic touch panels.}, journal={ACS NANO}, author={Rahmani, Pooria and Shojaei, Akbar and Sakorikar, Tushar and Wang, Meixiang and Mendoza-Apodaca, Yuniva and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2024}, month={Mar} }
 @article{wang_hu_dickey_2023, title={Emerging applications of tough ionogels}, volume={15}, ISSN={["1884-4057"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41427-023-00514-8}, DOI={10.1038/s41427-023-00514-8}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={1}, journal={NPG ASIA MATERIALS}, author={Wang, Meixiang and Hu, Jian and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{xing_yang_zhang_gong_v. neumann_wang_huang_kong_qi_dickey_2023, title={Metallic gels for conductive 3D and 4D printing}, volume={6}, ISSN={["2590-2385"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2023.06.015}, DOI={10.1016/j.matt.2023.06.015}, abstractNote={This paper reports printable metallic gels (pendular suspensions) consisting of an aqueous suspension of copper particles connected by bridges of liquid eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn). Pendular suspensions rely on capillary forces to form networks between solid particles with a composition-dependent rheology, but prior studies have focused on insulating suspensions. Here, the rheology of a conductive solid-liquid-liquid suspension is tuned for 3D printing by varying the composition and the pH; the latter promotes metallic wetting. The dry printed parts have metallic electrical conductivity (1.05×105 S/m) without requiring a sintering step. Drying at elevated temperatures can accelerate the removal of water while creating stress that drives shape change (i.e., 4D printing). As a demonstration, we print a conductive spider that lifts and assembles its own body from an initially flat shape. Such conductive inks are promising for printing metallic structures under ambient conditions.}, number={7}, journal={MATTER}, author={Xing, Ruizhe and Yang, Jiayi and Zhang, Dongguang and Gong, Wei and V. Neumann, Taylor and Wang, Meixiang and Huang, Renliang and Kong, Jie and Qi, Wei and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2023}, month={Jul}, pages={2248–2262} }
 @article{wang_dickey_2023, title={Tear-resistant stretchy gels}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1476-4660"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01764-1}, DOI={10.1038/s41563-023-01764-1}, journal={NATURE MATERIALS}, author={Wang, Meixiang and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} }
 @article{wang_hu_dickey_2022, title={Tough Ionogels: Synthesis, Toughening Mechanisms, and Mechanical Properties?A Perspective}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2691-3704"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.2c00489}, DOI={10.1021/jacsau.2c00489}, abstractNote={Polymeric ionogels are polymer networks swollen with ionic liquids (i.e., salts with low melting points). Ionogels are interesting due to their unique features such as nonvolatility, high thermal and electrochemical stability, excellent ionic conductivity, and nonflammability. These properties enable applications such as unconventional electronics, energy storage devices (i.e., batteries and supercapacitors), sensors and actuators. However, the poor mechanical performance of ionogels (e.g., fracture strength < 1 MPa, modulus < 0.1 MPa, and toughness < 1000 J m–2) have limited their use, thus motivating the need for tough ionogels. This Perspective summarizes recent advances toward tough ionogels by highlighting synthetic methods and toughening mechanisms. Opportunities and promising applications of tough ionogels are also discussed.}, journal={JACS AU}, author={Wang, Meixiang and Hu, Jian and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2022}, month={Nov} }
 @article{wang_zhang_shamsi_thelen_qian_ma_hu_dickey_2022, title={Tough and stretchable ionogels by in situ phase separation}, volume={21}, ISSN={["1476-4660"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-022-01195-4}, DOI={10.1038/s41563-022-01195-4}, number={3}, journal={NATURE MATERIALS}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Wang, Meixiang and Zhang, Pengyao and Shamsi, Mohammad and Thelen, Jacob L. and Qian, Wen and Ma, Jinwoo and Hu, Jian and Dickey, Michael D.}, year={2022}, month={Feb} }
 @article{xiao_wang_chen_zhang_gu_deng_yang_fei_chen_lin_et al._2021, title={Lead-adsorbing ionogel-based encapsulation for impact-resistant, stable, and lead-safe perovskite modules}, volume={7}, ISSN={["2375-2548"]}, DOI={10.1126/sciadv.abi8249}, abstractNote={We report a lead-adsorbing ionogel to enhance perovskite module mechanical strength and stability and reduce lead leakage.}, number={44}, journal={SCIENCE ADVANCES}, author={Xiao, Xun and Wang, Meixiang and Chen, Shangshang and Zhang, Yihang and Gu, Hangyu and Deng, Yehao and Yang, Guang and Fei, Chengbin and Chen, Bo and Lin, Yuze and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Oct} }
 @article{yang_kwon_kanetkar_xing_nithyanandam_li_jung_gong_tuman_shen_et al._2021, title={Skin-Inspired Capacitive Stress Sensor with Large Dynamic Range via Bilayer Liquid Metal Elastomers}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2365-709X"]}, DOI={10.1002/admt.202101074}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES}, author={Yang, Jiayi and Kwon, Ki Yoon and Kanetkar, Shreyas and Xing, Ruizhe and Nithyanandam, Praneshnandan and Li, Yang and Jung, Woojin and Gong, Wei and Tuman, Mary and Shen, Qingchen and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Nov} }