A skin-like, all-in-one hydrogel engineered via a supramolecular entangled network reinforced with hydrogen-bond–associated nanodomains
- 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore.
Abstract
Hydrogels hold substantial promise for artificial skin in bionic robotics and biomedical devices. However, few hydrogels have a combination of properties comparable to natural human skin. Here, we report a skin-like, all-in-one hydrogel based on a supramolecular entangled network reinforced with hydrogen-bond-associated nanodomains. Within this architecture, hydrogen-bond-associated self-assembled nanodomains, polymer-chain entanglement, dynamic electrostatic interactions, and reversible metal-ligand coordination operate cooperatively to endow the network with mechanical robustness and dynamic adaptability. Consequently, the hydrogel reconciles the intrinsic trade-offs among mechanical properties, multiple functions, and multimodal perception. Its integrated performance compares favorably with that of other advanced hydrogels and even biological skin. To demonstrate its potential applications, we constructed an artificial skin using our hydrogel, which facilitates interaction with the surrounding environment, including monitoring respiration, detecting motion, and manipulating robotic grippers. These results pave the way for versatile hydrogels that replicate the unparalleled combinatory properties of natural skin more precisely for diverse intelligent applications.
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BibTeX
@article{guo2026skinlike,
title = {{A skin-like, all-in-one hydrogel engineered via a supramolecular entangled network reinforced with hydrogen-bond–associated nanodomains}},
author = {Xingkui Guo and Chuyang Chen and Lijie Zhang and Binxin Dong and Haobo Qi and Lingyi Hong and Hao Zhuo and Wei Zhai},
journal = {Science Advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aeh8641},
url = {https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/sciadv.aeh8641},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A skin-like, all-in-one hydrogel engineered via a supramolecular entangled network reinforced with hydrogen-bond–associated nanodomains
AU - Xingkui Guo
AU - Chuyang Chen
AU - Lijie Zhang
AU - Binxin Dong
AU - Haobo Qi
AU - Lingyi Hong
AU - Hao Zhuo
AU - Wei Zhai
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/30
JO - Science Advances
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.aeh8641
UR - https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/sciadv.aeh8641
AB - Hydrogels hold substantial promise for artificial skin in bionic robotics and biomedical devices. However, few hydrogels have a combination of properties comparable to natural human skin. Here, we report a skin-like, all-in-one hydrogel based on a supramolecular entangled network reinforced with hydrogen-bond-associated nanodomains. Within this architecture, hydrogen-bond-associated self-assembled nanodomains, polymer-chain entanglement, dynamic electrostatic interactions, and reversible metal-ligand coordination operate cooperatively to endow the network with mechanical robustness and dynamic adaptability. Consequently, the hydrogel reconciles the intrinsic trade-offs among mechanical properties, multiple functions, and multimodal perception. Its integrated performance compares favorably with that of other advanced hydrogels and even biological skin. To demonstrate its potential applications, we constructed an artificial skin using our hydrogel, which facilitates interaction with the surrounding environment, including monitoring respiration, detecting motion, and manipulating robotic grippers. These results pave the way for versatile hydrogels that replicate the unparalleled combinatory properties of natural skin more precisely for diverse intelligent applications.
SN - 2375-2548
ER -