11 - Current trends on flexible and wearable mechanical sensors based on conjugated polymers combined with carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Flexible and wearable sensors increasingly draw attention owing to their advantages of providing lightweight, portable, wearable, or implantable capabilities. Along with the development of flexible materials toward wearable devices, flexible mechanical sensors demonstrate promise to fulfill potential healthcare and robotics applications, including artificial muscles, health monitoring, human motion detection, soft robotic skin, and human–machine interfaces. Here, recent advances in flexible and wearable mechanical sensors based on conjugated polymers combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are described. First, we describe the structure and material properties of conjugated polymers, CNTs, and conjugated polymers in combination with CNTs. Next, we discuss synthesis strategies of the individual materials and methods for combining them within sensor designs. Further, we highlight the various applications of these conjugated polymers with CNTs as flexible mechanical sensors. Finally, we highlight the future trends and perspectives in the development of flexible mechanical sensing devices consisting of conjugated polymers combined with CNTs.