A Stretchable Conductive Fiber for Wearable Strain Sensor Application

Abstract

Wearable tech is rapidly growth, with applications ranging from personal health tracking to soft robotics and human movement detection. For textiles to harness electronic capabilities, it's essential to dive deep into fiber-based electronics. In our research, we introduce an efficient method to create a stretchable silver/polyurethane fiber sensor suited for wearable devices. We've also put forth a theory on the reversible conductivity of the silver NPs/PU elastomer. Remarkably, the fiber sensors we developed boast low initial electrical resistance (5 Ω/cm), broad strain detection capabilities, exceptional sensitivity, and durability through numerous stretch-release cycles. We employed tools like Keithley, SEM, and TGA to confirm the adherence of silver particles to the fiber's surface. Our findings are pivotal for the future evolution of wearable technologies.