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Hydrogel-Based Sensors: Compositions, Fabrication, Sensing Mechanism, and Applications.

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Title: Hydrogel-Based Sensors: Compositions, Fabrication, Sensing Mechanism, and Applications.
Authors: Ali, Hassanain1 (AUTHOR), Sun, Xiao-Feng1,2 (AUTHOR), Ali, Zeesham3 (AUTHOR), Sun, Ran1,2 (AUTHOR), Hu, Sihai1,2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Polymers (20734360). Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1455. 51p.
Subjects: Hydrogels, Crosslinking (Polymerization), Environmental monitoring, Wearable technology, Detectors, Polymers, Biosensors
Abstract: Hydrogel-based sensors have emerged as transformative soft-sensing platforms, featuring tissue-matched compliance, high water content, stimuli responsiveness, and chemical tunability, properties which are unachievable with conventional rigid sensors. Despite substantial advances, the existing reviews focus on individual polymer categories, discrete transduction mechanisms, or targeted standalone applications, failing to establish an integrated pipeline from material design to final sensing performance. This review fills these crucial gaps by systematically correlating polymer chemistry, crosslinking tactics, and fabrication protocols with the selection of transduction mechanisms and resultant sensing performance across biomedical and environmental fields. We conduct a critical assessment of natural and synthetic polymers together with chemical, physical, and hybrid composite crosslinking methodologies. Multiple sensing modalities, including piezoresistive, capacitive, thermogalvanic, electrochemical, colorimetric, ratiometric fluorescence, and piezoionic sensing are elaborated alongside representative quantitative performance parameters. Emerging platforms, including self-powered thermogalvanic sensors, SERS-integrated biosensors, and MXene/MOF composites, are highlighted as underexplored frontiers. In addition, persistent bottlenecks including dehydration-derived signal drift, inferior long-term operational stability, unsatisfactory target selectivity, and obstacles toward large-scale manufacturability are rigorously analyzed. Ultimately, this review constructs a holistic unified framework bridging polymer molecular design, fabrication engineering, signal transduction, and practical end-use applications, laying a clear developmental roadmap for next-generation flexible and smart hydrogel-based sensing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Polymers (20734360) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 194908324
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Data: Hydrogel-Based Sensors: Compositions, Fabrication, Sensing Mechanism, and Applications.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Polymers+%2820734360%29%22">Polymers (20734360)</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1455. 51p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hydrogels%22">Hydrogels</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Crosslinking+%28Polymerization%29%22">Crosslinking (Polymerization)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+monitoring%22">Environmental monitoring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wearable+technology%22">Wearable technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Detectors%22">Detectors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polymers%22">Polymers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biosensors%22">Biosensors</searchLink>
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  Data: Hydrogel-based sensors have emerged as transformative soft-sensing platforms, featuring tissue-matched compliance, high water content, stimuli responsiveness, and chemical tunability, properties which are unachievable with conventional rigid sensors. Despite substantial advances, the existing reviews focus on individual polymer categories, discrete transduction mechanisms, or targeted standalone applications, failing to establish an integrated pipeline from material design to final sensing performance. This review fills these crucial gaps by systematically correlating polymer chemistry, crosslinking tactics, and fabrication protocols with the selection of transduction mechanisms and resultant sensing performance across biomedical and environmental fields. We conduct a critical assessment of natural and synthetic polymers together with chemical, physical, and hybrid composite crosslinking methodologies. Multiple sensing modalities, including piezoresistive, capacitive, thermogalvanic, electrochemical, colorimetric, ratiometric fluorescence, and piezoionic sensing are elaborated alongside representative quantitative performance parameters. Emerging platforms, including self-powered thermogalvanic sensors, SERS-integrated biosensors, and MXene/MOF composites, are highlighted as underexplored frontiers. In addition, persistent bottlenecks including dehydration-derived signal drift, inferior long-term operational stability, unsatisfactory target selectivity, and obstacles toward large-scale manufacturability are rigorously analyzed. Ultimately, this review constructs a holistic unified framework bridging polymer molecular design, fabrication engineering, signal transduction, and practical end-use applications, laying a clear developmental roadmap for next-generation flexible and smart hydrogel-based sensing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Polymers (20734360) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/polym18121455
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        Text: English
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        PageCount: 51
        StartPage: 1455
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      – SubjectFull: Hydrogels
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Crosslinking (Polymerization)
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      – SubjectFull: Environmental monitoring
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      – SubjectFull: Detectors
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      – SubjectFull: Polymers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biosensors
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Hydrogel-Based Sensors: Compositions, Fabrication, Sensing Mechanism, and Applications.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Ali, Hassanain
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            NameFull: Sun, Xiao-Feng
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            NameFull: Ali, Zeesham
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            NameFull: Sun, Ran
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            NameFull: Hu, Sihai
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            – D: 15
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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