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Vol. 18 (2026)

Self-Oriented Gradient Ionic Skins for Dual-Function Electromagnetic Shielding and Self-Powered Sensing

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02255-z
Donghao Zhang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Xiaodan Wang
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Na Pan
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, People’s Republic of China
Wenxin Fan
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Kunyan Sui
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Shandong Provincial Universities for Advanced Fibers and Composites, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Kunyan Sui

sky@qdu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 415

Abstract

Ionic skins (I-skins) integrated with high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, self-powering functionality, and sensitive pressure detection are critically needed for soft electronics, yet remains a considerable challenge. Herein, we report a facile diffusion-complexation strategy for fabricating self-oriented gradient MXene/polyelectrolyte hydrogels, which function effectively as self-powered I-skins with outstanding EMI shielding and pressure-sensing capabilities. A pivotal feature of our method is the concurrent coupling of two processes: osmotic pressure gradient- induced in-plane self-orientation of MXene nanosheets and diffusion-complexation reaction-induced spontaneous formation of a longitudinal charge gradient. This charge gradient endows the I-skins with a pressure-sensitive self-polarized potential, while the in-plane aligned MXene network imparts both exceptional EMI shielding performance and high-pressure sensitivity. Consequently, the resulting I-skins exhibit a high EMI shielding effectiveness of 48 dB, along with outstanding self-powered sensing capability that delivers a high sensitivity (3.067 mV kPa−1), a broad sensing range (0.05–80 kPa), a fast response time (120–130 ms), and a low detection limit for pressure (0.05 kPa). This work offers a new and scalable strategy for integrating high sensitivity, energy autonomy, and superior EMI shielding into advanced I-skins for broader applications.


Highlights:
1 The diffusion-complexation strategy enabled the synchronous construction of both an in-plane oriented MXene network and a longitudinal charge gradient structure within the hydrogel.
2 An advanced ionic skin with an integrated architecture has been developed, which exhibits exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding performance along with outstanding self-powered sensing capability.

Keywords

Ionic skins Electromagnetic interference shielding Self-polarized potential Self-orientation Gradient polyelectrolyte hydrogel
Zhang, Donghao, Xiaodan Wang, Na Pan, Wenxin Fan, and Kunyan Sui. 2026. “Self-Oriented Gradient Ionic Skins for Dual-Function Electromagnetic Shielding and Self-Powered Sensing”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (June):415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02255-z.
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