Multifunctional Fiber for Synchronous Bio‐Sensing and Power Supply in Sweat Environment

Abstract

Continuous monitoring of human sweat, which enables highly sensitive multiple biomarkers analysis with a portable power supply, is increasingly desired for the remote healthcare industry. Smart fibers with on‐demand functionality are ideal candidates for fabricating noninvasive and conformal bioelectronic devices owing to their considerable flexibility. Herein, a multifunctional textile patch based on a reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/tetra‐aniline (TANi) fiber for simultaneous biomarker monitoring and energy supply is reported. Benefiting from the multi‐electrochemical redox states and proton doping/dedoping characteristics of TANi, rGO/TANi hybrid fibers are combined into an energy storage device and biosensor in a physiological environment. GO flakes increase the viscoelasticity of the wet‐spinning dope by regulating the noncovalent interactions between TANi aggregates, thereby enhancing the mechanical strength and conductivity of the resulting rGO/TANi hybrid fiber. Consequently, the hybrid fiber exhibits high volumetric capacitance and versatile sensing capability for various physiological analytes, e.g., pH, K+, and glucose in sweat electrolyte. Furthermore, a wireless continuous sweat monitoring system is constructed by integrating the multifunctional fiber sensor into a printed electric circuit board with programmed functionality. Such a delicate integrated design that harnesses the signal collection and communication units is anticipated to facilitate practical applications in personalized diagnostic and physiological health.

Large-Scale Wearable Textile-Based Sweat Sensor with High Sensitivity, Rapid Response, and Stable Electrochemical Performance

“…Sweat samples obtained quickly over a short period of time are representative of human physiology, so the fast response of the sensor ensures the reliability of the data in the face of varying perspiration rates . Compared to previously reported sweat sensors, − TPFV/CPP yarn demonstrated superior sensitivity and fast response (Figure i).…”

Innovations in spider silk‐inspired artificial gel fibers: Methods, properties, strengthening, functionality, and challenges

“…363 This would enable reliable, long-term tracking of gestures indicating various directions. 364,365 Here, Xu et al 366 described the creation of a kind of flexible, multifunctional hydrogel fiber that displays spider silk's reversible adhesiveness on a variety of surfaces. This fiber also exhibits conductivity and can withstand freezing temperatures below approximately 40 • C. Additional strain-resistance testing revealed that within 200 stretch release cycles, with minimal drifting, the hydrogel fibers could identify strains between 0.5% and 34.5%.…”

Advances in Fiber-Based Wearable Sensors for Personal Digital Health Monitoring

“…The use of electrochemical sensors to monitor biomarkers in human sweat is a common method [84][85][86]. For instance, a multifunctional textile sensor made of rGO/polyaniline (PANI) hybrid fibers can be used to monitor multiple biomarkers simultaneously [87]. Taking advantage of the excellent charge storage capacity of polyaniline in bioelectrolyte solution, the authors assembled two fiber electrodes into a fiber-based supercapacitor with an obvious linear relationship with pH change.…”