Abstract
Embedding conductive nanomaterials into elastomeric polymer matrices is one of the most promising approaches for fabricating stretchable strain sensors capable of monitoring large mechanical movements or deformation through the detection of resistance changes. Here, hybrid fillers comprising graphene and silver nanowires (AgNWs) are incorporated into extremely stretchable spandex to fabricate strain sensors. Composites containing only graphene and those containing the graphene/AgNW hybrid fillers are systematically investigated by evaluating their electrical and mechanical properties. The synergistic effect between graphene and AgNWs enable the strain sensors based on the composites to experience a large strain range of up to 120%, and low hysteresis with a high gauge factor of 150.3 at a strain of 120%. These reliable strain sensors are utilized for monitoring human motions such as heartbeats and body movements. The findings of this study indicate the significant applicability of graphene/AgNW/spandex composites in future applications that demand high-performance stretchable strain sensors.
Highlights
There has been an increasing interest in the development of high-performance strain sensors for a wide variety of future applications such as human motion and health monitoring [1,2,3], wearable electronics [4,5,6], soft robotics [7,8,9], and structural health monitoring [10,11]
Conventional strain sensors based on thin metal foils have poor stretchability, which limits their potential for the abovementioned future applications
Electrically conductive polymer composites have been intensively investigated as a solution to realize stretchable strain sensors, because they possess superior physical properties and high scalability in manufacturing with low costs [15]
Summary
There has been an increasing interest in the development of high-performance strain sensors for a wide variety of future applications such as human motion and health monitoring [1,2,3], wearable electronics [4,5,6], soft robotics [7,8,9], and structural health monitoring [10,11]. Hybrid fillers containing 1D and 2D materials, such as CNT/graphene [29,30] and silver nanowire (AgNW)/graphene oxide (GO) [27], generate a higher electrical conductivity while using a low amount of fillers, for instance This is because one type of filler bridges the gaps within the other type of filler due to the high-aspect-ratio morphology, thereby establishing robust conductive pathways with lesser loading of fillers. We establish a simple method to eliminate the undesirable shoulder peaks that typically appear in the resistance-strain responses of stretchable polymer composites These high-performance stretchable strain sensors are utilized for the detection of human motions such as heartbeats and the movements of a wrist, finger, and knee joint
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