Robust and resilient piezoresistive sensor made of MWCNT-embedded aerogel prepared with elongated amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein

Abstract

Pressure sensors are widely employed in various fields from biomedical to aerospace engineering. Each field requires pressure sensors with specific sensitivity, response time, recovery time, durability, and detection limit. However, developing pressure sensors that meet the increasing demands of high mechanical strength and sensitive electrical responsiveness influencing reliability and accuracy still remains challenging. Herein, a highly robust and resilient piezoresistive sensor was developed by combining elongated amyloid fibrils (eAFs) aerogel made of a self-assembly protein of α-synuclein, which provided stable porous 3D interconnected network and thus increased surface area, and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as a reinforcement material for improved mechanical and electrical properties. Owing to the integration between eAFs aerogel and MWCNT, the MWCNT-embedded eAFs aerogel exhibited augmentation in mechanical strength and resiliency depending on the amount of MWCNT introduced. Additionally, the MWCNT-embedded eAFs aerogel showed piezoresistive properties with stable pressure sensing capability toward human motions, airflow, and underwater pressure. It is, therefore, suggested that the pressure sensor fabricated with the eAFs aerogel containing MWCNT could be utilized in diverse areas including wearable device and artificial skin development.