Transparent and Stretchable Strain Sensors with Improved Sensitivity and Reliability Based on Ag NWs and PEDOT:PSS Patterned Microstructures

Abstract

A transparent and stretchable strain sensor based on Ag nanowires (NWs) and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene‐sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) patterned microstructure is presented. The regular patterns are achieved by a facile replication and transfer process from near‐field electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) grids on the surfaces of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Owing to the combined advantages for the unique microstructure of sensor, strong adhesion of polymer PEDOT:PSS to underlying layer, and outstanding conductivity of long Ag NWs, the transparent strain sensor possesses the excellent aspects of high sensitivity (gauge factor = 10.2), wide sensing range (0–100%), long‐term reliability for at least 2000 cycles, and distinct temperature responses. Moreover, the patterned strain sensor can be mounted on different body parts to detect a wide range of human movements and temperature responses in real time, providing multifunctional applications in human/machine interaction, electronic skins, and wearable devices.

Microstructured capacitive sensor with broad detection range and long-term stability for human activity detection

“…The Ag NWs can effectively decrease the restacking of MXene sheets, forming abundant conducting tunnels to facilitate electron transfer within the electrode. The fabricated MXene sheets and Ag NWs are closely contacted due to the electrostatic adsorption, which makes the conductive network have a stable structure [48][49][50][51][52][53] . In this case, there is no relative slip between two conducting components even under high stress due to the tight combination, leading to a stable electron path within the conductive networks, which is beneficial to the long-term stability of the device under the repeated loading/unloading.…”

Graphene Decorated Fiber for Wearable Strain Sensor with High Sensitivity at Tiny Strain

“…[9] Recently, rational design of the geometric structure is considered as an effective strategy to solve the above dilemma between high sensitivity and broad workable range for strain sensors. Flexible strain sensors with novel microstructures, [10][11][12][13] including the crack structure, [14][15][16] the buckling structure, [17,18] the gradient structure [19][20][21] and the biomimetic hierarchical structure, [22] have been reported for fabricating highperformance strain sensors. Gao et al prepared a multilayered fiber-based strain sensor with high sensitivity and broad workable range (GF = 166.7 at 350% strain) with a hollow-monolith microstructure through a coaxial wet-spun method.…”

Recent Progress in Conducting Polymer Composite/Nanofiber-Based Strain and Pressure Sensors

“…Another step forward made to balance the sensitivity and sensing range of conductive composite PEDOT-based strain sensors via deploying the unique microstructures and stronger adhesion between PEDOT:PSS and one-dimensional (1D) AgNWs. Near field electrospinning technique supports the fabrication of groove structures, and the additional hybridization of PEDOT:PSS facilitates the adhesion to the elastomeric substrate and multiscale electron transport path possibility on deforming it to greater extent [187].…”