High‐Performance Pressure Sensors Based on 3D Microstructure Fabricated by a Facile Transfer Technology

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, a high‐performance pressure sensor that imitates the sensing functions of human skin is proposed. A rough poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) film transferred from abrasive paper acts as the sensing layer, while silver nanowires deposited on the bottom Ecoflex film with a 3D microstructure serve as the electrodes. Because of the bionic hierarchical structure, the resulting sensor exhibits a high pressure sensitivity of 6.13 kPa−1, low limit of detection (20 Pa), low operating voltage (0.1 V), and broad sensing range (up to 90 kPa). Furthermore, as the sensor is ultrathin, ultraflexible, and stretchable, it can easily conform to the uneven surface of human skin to allow monitoring of physical signals from the human body or detect the tactile stimulation of objects. In addition, a sensor array consisting of 4 × 4 pixels is assembled to realize the precise mapping of spatial pressure distribution. By virtue of its superior performance and low‐cost fabrication, the proposed pressure sensor may potentially be applied to next‐generation wearable devices such as e‐skin, soft robotics, and human–machine interaction systems.