Journal Article

Biodegradable MXene‐Bamboo Cellulose Paper Electrodes for Green Wearable Sensing and Exoskeleton Control

He, Jr‐Hau, Lin, Chun‐Ho, Hsu, Yung‐Jung, Huang, An‐Yu, Franz, Clemens M., Kuo, Chia‐Hao, Chen, You‐Yin, Guan, Xinwei, Lin, Tzu‐En, Subramaniyan, Pulikkutty, Hung, Tung‐Li, Yu, Shan‐Chu, Wei, Yu‐Chen, Huang, Chien‐Yu, Lin, You‐Rong, Kuo, Yun‐Ting

2025

Overview

The global rise in electronic waste highlights the urgent need for green electronics that minimize environmental impact through sustainable material selection and fabrication methods. In this work, multifunctional, biodegradable paper electrodes, designated as MXNx/B‐CP, are prepared via a simple vacuum‐assisted assembly of homogenized MXene (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets within bamboo‐derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF). These freestanding paper electrodes offer tunable electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and low‐cost, scalable production. To enhance their stability, the electrodes are encapsulated in a breathable, porous Ecoflex layer, which imparts waterproofing while maintaining gas permeability. Strong hydrogen bonding at the MXene‐CNF interface facilitates continuous electron transport and structural integrity, yielding a nonlinear piezoresistive response with a gauge factor increasing from 3.7 to 11.42 at small strain range, alongside a strain‐adaptive Young's modulus ranging from 0.064 to 1.768 MPa. Benefiting from this synergistic design, the electrodes support a wide range of sensing applications, including bending strain detection, surface electromyography, and human‐machine interfaces for exoskeleton control while exhibiting excellent stability, low noise, and long‐term durability under repeated deformation. This innovation not only expands the potential of paper‐based electronics but also offers a scalable pathway toward sustainable, high‐performance solutions for next‐generation wearable and assistive technologies. A biodegradable, soft, and conductive MXene‐cellulose nanofiber paper electrode integrates Ti3C2Tx nanosheets into bamboo‐derived scaffolds, with a porous Ecoflex coating that imparts waterproofing and breathability. The freestanding dry electrode enables high‐fidelity EMG sensing, strain and pressure detection, and wireless control of a knee exoskeleton. Upon disposal, the material degrades oxidatively, offering a sustainable route toward scalable, eco‐friendly human‐machine interfaces.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Wiley
• Subject: bamboo cellulose nanofiber / Biocompatibility / Cellulose / Cellulose - chemistry / Electric Conductivity / Electrodes / Electromyography / Electronic waste / exoskeleton / Exoskeleton Device / green electronics / Humans / Morphology / MXene / Nanofibers - chemistry / Nanomaterials / Nitrites / Oxidation / Permeability / Sensors / Transition Elements / wearable devices / Wearable Electronic Devices