Superelastic bamboo fiber-based spongy aerogel for flexible piezoresistive sensors with wide response range and high sensitivity

Abstract

Superelastic, breathable, and flexible piezoresistive sensors with excellent sensing performance are drawing tremendous attention in wearable electronics and sleeping furnishings. However, simultaneous realization of their high performance is still a huge challenge. In this study, inspired by the pore structure of natural sponges, a high-performance sponge-like bamboo fiber/graphene oxide aerogel piezoresistive sensor (M−CBF−rGO) was prepared utilizing bamboo fibers (BFs) and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials through freeze casting and carbonization. Benefiting from the unique porous structure with effective absorbing/releasing energy, the M−CBF−rGO aerogel sensor exhibits excellent superelasticity (not being destroyed under 90 % deformation), mechanical durability (7,000 cycles), and good breathability. Moreover, the M−CBF−rGO sensor demonstrates ultra-high strain sensitivity (892.9), a wide detection range (0–300 kPa), and a fast recovery time (20 ms). Taking advantage of these benefits, the M−CBF−rGO sensor can not only be applied to detect human signals ranging from finger motion to swallowing recognition, but also integrated into the cushioning materials of upholstered furniture to generate a sensing array for monitoring and recogniting human activity including sitting postures and sleeping positions in real-time. This sensor demonstrates the potential application prospects in the fields of human health diagnosis, smart wearable products, and intelligent upholstered furniture.