IFSOE 2026

The Application of Fluorescent Hydrogels in Smart Wearable

Submitted: Jul 23, 2026

Abstract

Fluorescent hydrogel hold immense potential for flexible information storage and interactive sensing; however, they face critical challenges including low contrast, limited encryption dimensions, and the difficulty of integrating multi-modal functions into a single biocompatible platform. To address these issues, an innovative strategy based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active nanocomposite hydrogels was developed. By incorporating pH-responsive AIE molecules into a Laponite XLS/polyacrylamide-based NC hydrogel network, high-contrast “light-up” fluorescence writing is achieved via acid stimulation, leveraging protonation-induced electrostatic interactions with negatively charged clay and the restriction of intramolecular motion. This hydrogel possesses superior mechanical properties, featuring a breaking strain of 700% and remarkable resilience. By ingeniously utilizing the reversible changes in two-dimensional surface area during the stretching-recovery process, the system achieves multi-layer state storage and dynamic information encryption, effectively overcoming the capacity and security constraints of conventional single-media systems. Furthermore, to construct wearable interactive devices, a “fluorescence-transfer printing” technology was developed using water-soluble cationic AIE “ink”, enabling high-spatial-selectivity writing with near-zero background interference on highly adhesive conductive hydrogels. The resulting multifunctional sensor integrates extreme tensile strength (>1000%), robust skin adhesion, and high strain sensitivity (GF = 10.9). Crucially, it can simultaneously monitor physiological joint movements and manage the display of nested information, such as hidden QR codes, through strain-state switching for secure optical interaction. By synergizing the AIE mechanism with advanced hydrogel networks, this research successfully resolves key challenges in contrast, storage dimensions, and functional integration, offering a universal blueprint for the development of next-generation intelligent flexible materials and devices.

Keywords

Aggregation-induced emission Nanocomposite materials Wearable hydrogel

References

  1. Su, G., Li, Z., Gong, J., Zhang, R., Dai, R., Deng, Y., & Tang, B. Z. (2022). Information-storage expansion enabled by a resilient aggregation-induced-emission-active nanocomposite hydrogel. Advanced Materials, 34(49), 2207212.
  2. Su, G., Wang, N., Liu, Y., Zhang, R., Li, Z., Deng, Y., & Tang, B. Z. (2024). From Fluorescence-transfer-lightening-printing-assisted conductive adhesive nanocomposite hydrogels toward wearable interactive optical information-electronic strain sensors. Advanced Materials, 36(25), 2400085.