Anti‐liquid‐Interfering and Bacterially Antiadhesive Strategy for Highly Stretchable and Ultrasensitive Strain Sensors Based on Cassie‐Baxter Wetting State

Abstract

As a large number of strain sensors are put into practical use, their stability should be considered, especially in harsh environments containing water or microorganisms, which could affect strain sensing. Herein, a novel strategy to overcome liquid interference is proposed. The strain sensor is constructed with a sandwich architecture through layer‐by‐layer (LBL) spray‐coating of a 3‐(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) bonding layer and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes/graphene (MWCNT/G) conductive layers on an elastomeric polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) substrate, and is further decorated with silver (Ag) nanoparticles and the (heptadecafluoro‐1,1,2,2‐tetradecyl) trimethoxysilane (FAS, F in short) to obtain a F/Ag/MWCNG/G‐PDMS (FAMG) strain sensor. The superhydrophobicity and underwater oleophobicity of the outer cover layer causes this FAMG strain sensor surface to exhibit stable strain sensing resistant to liquid interference upon stretching in the Cassie−Baxter wetting state, and resistance to bacterial adhesion (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli)). The sensor attains ultrasensitivity (with a maximum gauge factor of 1989 in the condition of liquid interference), broad strain range (0.1–170%), fast response time (150 ms), and stable response after 1000 stretching–releasing cycles. The ultrasensitivity is provided by propagation of cracks in MWCNT/G conductive layers and terminal fracture of the intermediate separating layers (APTES/MWCNT/G). The microbridge effect of MWCNTs and slippage of APTES/MWCNT/G provide a large strain range. The FAMG strain sensor is successfully used to monitor a series of human activities and an electronic bird under artificial rain and bacterial droplets, indicating the potential use of this sensor in complex environments.

Stretchable Electronics Based on PDMS Substrates

“…[ 113 ] Owing to the simple architecture, easy fabrication and high sensitivity, it has got wide investigation and shown extensive applicability in soft robots, healthcare monitoring, and electronic skins. [ 113–116 ] Sensitivity is one of the most important parameters of strain sensors, as it allows for the precise detection of tiny movements. [ 47,117 ] A typical stretchable resistive strain sensor consists of conductive active materials and an elastic substrate.…”

“…[ 51 ] Even if a fracture happened, the devices are expected to recover its function after self‐healing. [ 51–124 ]…”

Polyethylene Terephthalate Degradation by Microalga Chlorella vulgaris Along with Pretreatment

“…Once an enzyme-like PETase or laccase has initiated the PET degradation. It is speculated that its byproducts can be further acted upon by some other enzymes produced by other microbial consortia present in the same environment [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54].…”

Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene Terephthalate/Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (PET/EPDM) in the Presence of Nanoclay

“…A skinny layer with an approximate thickness of 100 nm was put at liquid nitrogen under refrigeration conditions and was cut using EM UC/FC6ULTRAMICROTOME Tool (lecia) equipped https://doi.org/10.37358/MP.20.3.5397 with a diamond knife. Then TEM images were obtained using a Transmission electron microscope KEV 80 of EM 900 model made by Ziess Co. at accelerating voltage of 80 KV [35][36][37][38][39][40][41].…”