A conductive composite enabled by graphene-cyclodextrin-azobenzene host-guest complex and its potential application in healable soft sensor

Abstract In this study, we prepared a host-guest (H-G) complex containing graphene (Gp) by utilizing the H-G supramolecular force of cyclodextrin (Cd) and azobenzene (Ab). Then we synthesized a conductive composite (CC) by using Gp-Cd-Ab H-G complex. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) of CC confirmed the presence of H-G supramolecular assemblies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed CC had smaller bulk resistance. The tensile curves showed CC had larger Young’s modulus. CC had the properties of conductive and mechanical self-healing. CC also showed strain sensing performance. Thus the composite showed potential application in healable soft sensor.