The development of sustainable, flexible, and electrically conductive functional materials is essential for next-generation electronics, including wearable sensors, soft robotics, and implantable devices. Herein, we report lightweight and compressible aerogels based on allyl cellulose (AC) integrated with dually doped polyaniline (PANI) fabricated through a facile, low-cost, and environmentally benign approach. AC was synthesized via controlled etherification of cellulose, affording tunable degrees of substitution and solubility. Subsequent chemical crosslinking produced macroporous cellulose hydrogels (CHs) with high swelling capacity (~90 %), and good mechanical integrity, which were further reinforced with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance elasticity and flexibility. In situ oxidative polymerization of aniline the CHs followed by drying yielded CH@PANI aerogels with uniform conductive coatings. Dual doping of PANI with hydrohloric acid (HCl) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) enabled control over PANI morphology and significantly improved electrical conductivity and mechanical compliance. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed effective allylation, crosslinking, and homogeneous PANI deposition while preserving aerogel porosity. Increasing the PANI loading (CH@PANI-1:20) reduced the electrical impedance from >10 k? to ~1 k? and enabled compressive strains of up to ~90 %. Differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated broad thermal stability from ?70 to 100 °C suitable for varied environments, while thermogravimetric analysis revealed enhanced thermal stability and char formation (~30 % versus ~7 % for pristine CH aerogels). Electromechanical testing under applied pressure showed strain-dependent impedance governed by both bulk and interfacial electrical resistances, with PEG incorporation influencing network rearrangement and conductive pathway formation. Altogether, these CH@PANI aerogels provide a sustainable, mechanically resilient, and thermally stable platform for pressure-sensitive and wearable electronic applications.
Iemtsev et al. (Fri,) studied this question.