Anti-swelling conductive polyampholyte hydrogels via ionic complexations for underwater motion sensors and dynamic information storage

Swelling of hydrogels in aquatic environment is ubiquitous but unfavorable for underwater applications, which dramatically diminishes their mechanical properties. In this study, we report an anti-swelling conductive hydrogel based on a polyampholyte copolymer of acrylic acid and 1-butyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide. The hydrogel exhibits high optical transparency, remarkable mechanical property, and good ionic conductivity. The anti-swelling …