Study of super flexible mixed phase piezoresistive pressure sensor

Abstract

Abstract To compensate for the growing need for flexibility in pressure-sensing wearable devices, solid–liquid mixed-phase sensors have been improved to meet application needs. Compared to their all-solid-state counterparts, these sensors exhibit improvements in flexibility, conductivity, and hydrophilicity. A highly flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor utilizing a porous structure made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/ carbon nanotube (CNT)/C 3 H 8 O 3 composites is introduced in this study. The porous structure was confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Response and release times were demonstrated to be rapid, approximately 43 ms and 62 ms, respectively. Mechanical testing revealed a tensile strength of 0.06 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 0.0723 MPa, while the compressive strength was recorded at 0.0876 MPa with a Young’s modulus of 0.142 MPa. Durability assessments indicated consistent performance across 6000 cycles and notable hydrophilicity. Compared to conventional PDMS hybrid CNT-based sensors, this new sensor exhibited improvements in flexibility and conductivity by approximately 50 and 40 times, respectively. Its applications include the detection of mouse button clicks, monitoring of human pinky joint motions, and recognition within pressure arrays. The sensor discussed holds significant potential for advancements in human-computer interaction and wearable technology sectors.