2022
Soy Protein-based Soft Gels for Sensors & Soft Robotics
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Industrial
Keywords:
Industrial Uses
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Long Jiang, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
QSSB
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$37,336
Institution Funded:
North Dakota State University
$37,336
Brief Project Summary:

Researchers will develop a soy protein-based, freeze-tolerant, conductive, strong, stretchable hydrogel for mechanical sensor applications. This gel is based on the patented soy protein resin platform. Hydrogels that offer high strength, outstanding conductivity, and high stretchability have been studied for potential uses in soft electronics including mechanical sensors and health monitoring devices. A double-network structure will be created in the hydrogels for strength and stretchability. Cellulose nanocrystals will be added for improved mechanical properties and conductivity. A glycerol/H2O binary solvent system will be used for anti-freezing. Prototypes, including flexible circuit and deformation sensor, will be produced and demonstrated.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, scientists, engineers

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

• Soy protein-based hydrogels that have the desirable mechanical and electrical properties
• Understanding of the mechanical and electrical behavior of the gel under different deformation and temperature conditions
• Fabrication and user guidelines of the hydrogel

Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report Word file

View uploaded report 2 Word file

Soy Protein-based Soft Gels for Sensors and Soft Robotics
-Executive Summary-

Long Jiang, Qian Ma
North Dakota State University

Soft and stretchable conductive hydrogels have attracted a lot of attention for their promising applications in the fields of artificial intelligence, soft robotics, and wearable devices. However, most existing conductive hydrogels suffer from the limitations of low mechanical robustness, low stretchability, and vulnerability to drying and freezing, which hinder their durability and application areas/environments in real life. Moreover, most of the existing hydrogels are made from non-renewable materials.

In this project, we developed a soy protein-based hydrogel that is strong, highly stretchable, conductive, and freezing and drying resistant. The strength and flexibility of the new hydrogels are attributed to the double network structure inside the material formed by the soy protein molecules and another polymer. Additives including a salt, low-temperature plasticizer, and a natural fibrous material were incorporated into the hydrogel formulation to offer them the other desirable properties. The formulation was meticulously investigated, and the key ingredients and their contents were identified. The hydrogels with properties suitable for a scope of different applications can therefore be produced by adjusting the formulation.
The flexibility and stretchability of the hydrogels even under very low temperatures (up to -70 °C) are demonstrated in Figure 1, where they are bent and stretched without fracture. At the same time, the conductivity of the hydrogels under these low temperatures is still high enough to lighten up LEDs (Figure 2). The properties exhibited by these new gels make them ideal materials for making wearable sensors and soft robotics. Further development can be pursued to enable industrial applications.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.