-Inspired Capacitive Pressure Sensor with High Sensitivity and Broad Range for Multidimensional Applications.

Journal: ACS applied materials & interfaces
Published Date:

Abstract

Flexible capacitive pressure sensors hold great promise for next-generation intelligent systems, including secure human-machine interfaces, industrial IoT, and wearable healthcare. However, their performance is fundamentally constrained by the trade-off between sensitivity and sensing range in complex, multidimensional environments. Here, inspired by the natural architecture of , this work presents a bioinspired pressure sensor featuring a double-layer V-shaped architecture using carbon nanotubes/polydimethylsiloxane (CNTs/PDMS) composites. A dual-level cascaded stress modulation strategy is induced within the dielectric layer to simultaneously enhance sensitivity and broaden the sensing range. Finite element analysis simulation reveals that the hierarchical design effectively redistributes mechanical stress, optimizing the capacitive response under varied pressures. The fabricated sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 2.889 kPa, a broad detection range up to 210 kPa, a fast response time of 30 ms, and excellent durability over 10 000 cycles at 80 kPa. Application scenarios, including dual-layer data encryption, non-destructive fruit ripeness classification, and plantar pressure mapping, demonstrate the sensor's versatility and multifunctional integration capabilities. This work provides a scalable material and structural design strategy for advanced flexible electronics with enhanced sensing performance across diverse interactive platforms.

Authors

  • Yifei Han
    Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Jiaqian Xu
    Institute of Smart City and Intelligent Transportation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China.
  • Ye Liu
    Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
  • Wenhui Ma
    College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
  • Hongbo Wang
    1Department of Biological Engineering, Utah State University, 4105 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4105 USA.
  • Yidong Hou
    College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
  • Bingjun Yu
    Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
  • Linmao Qian
    Tribology Research Institute, State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
  • Zhi-Jun Zhao
    Institute of Smart City and Intelligent Transportation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China.

Keywords

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