Polyelectrolyte (PE) hydrogels are three-dimensional network structures of physically or covalently crosslinked polymer chains with ionizable groups. Ions released upon ionization (i.e., counterions) contribute to the osmotic pressure in the hydrogel and tend to swell the structure. Contrarily, the entropic elasticity of the constituting chains resists the swelling by favoring a more collapsed polymer configuration. The equilibrium between the counterion pressure and chain elasticity results in a polymeric structure with high solvent content . Consequently, any stimuli that can affect either the counterion distribution or chain conformation, such as an external electric field or mechanical deformation, can alter the balance between electrostatics and elastic components , making hydrogels an essential component in mechanoelectric applications from sensors to bio-mimetic tissues .