Multidimensional Ternary Hybrids with Synergistically Enhanced Electrical Performance for Conductive Nanocomposites and Prosthetic Electronic Skin

Graphene and silver nanowires (AgNWs) are ideal fillers for conductive polymer composites, but they tend to aggregate in the polymer matrix due to the lack of surface functional groups and large specific surface area, which is hard for the polymer composites filled with them to reach their full potential. Here, ternary hybrids with multidimensional architectures including 3D polystyrene (PS) microspheres, 2D reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets, and 1D AgNWs are obtained using a simple, but effective, electrostatic attraction strategy. The electrical conductivity (136.25 S m(-1)) of the ternary hybrid conductive nanocomposites filled with RGO and AgNWs is significantly higher than that of the nanocomposites containing only RGO (3.255 S m(-1)) at the same total filler loading due to the synergistic effect of RGO and AgNWs. The conductive nanocomposites simultaneously present a low percolation threshold of 0.159 vol % and a maximum electrical conductivity of 1230 S m(-1) at 3.226 vol % filler loading. Moreover, a flexible electronic skin based on the multidimensional ternary hybrids is presented, and it exhibits large stretchability, high gauge factor, and excellent cyclic working durability, which is successfully demonstrated in monitoring prosthetic finger motions.