High-Performance Strain Sensors with FishScale-Like Graphene-Sensing Layers for FullRange Detection of Human Motions Qiang Liu, Ji Chen, Yingru Li, and Gaoquan Shi* Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China S Supporting Information *
ABSTRACT: Strain sensors with large stretchability, broad sensing range, and high sensitivity are highly desirable because of their potential applications in electronic skins and health monitoring systems. In this paper, we report a high-performance strain sensor with a fish-scale-like graphene-sensing layer. This strain sensor can be fabricated via stretching/releasing the composite films of reduced graphene oxide and elastic tape, making the process simple, cheap, energy-saving, and scalable. It can be used to detect both stretching and bending deformations with a wide sensing range (up to 82% strain), high sensitivity (a gauge factor of 16.2 to 150), ultralow limit of detection (5000 cycles). Therefore, it is attractive and promising for practical applications, such as for the full-range detection of human motions. KEYWORDS: strain sensor, graphene, fish scale, human motion
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can change dramatically at small deformations. Rational design of the geometric structures and control of the connection types of sensing materials are effective routes to realize these goals. In this paper, we report a graphene-based strain sensor with a fish-scale-like sensing layer. This fish-scale-like microstructure provides the strain sensor with large stretchability, a broad sensing range (up to 82% strain), high sensitivity (a gauge factor of 16.2−150), ultralow limit of detection (5000 cycles). Furthermore, it also exhibited excellent performance in sensing bending deformations. As a prototype, we have integrated this graphene-based strain sensor into a wearable sensor and successfully detected the full-range human motions from subtle deformations, such as pulse and phonation, to substantial movements like finger bending.
lexible, stretchable, and/or wearable sensors have attracted a great deal of attention because of their diverse applications from electronic skins to health monitoring systems.1−5 In recent years, much effort has been devoted to improving the flexibility, sensitivity, and mechanical stability of these sensors.6−12 In particular, the strain sensors with large stretchability, broad sensing range, and high sensitivity are desirable for the full-range detection of human motions.13−15 Unfortunately, traditional strain sensors based on metals or semiconductors usually exhibited low sensitivity or narrow sensing ranges (
