Macroporous and free-shape reduced graphene oxide paper as sensitive wearable pressure and strain sensors

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2022-11, Vol.128 (11), Article 948
• Main Authors: Yang, Yan, Shen, Honglie, Yang, Zhiyan, Yang, Jiale, Wang, Zehui, Gao, Kai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Confined spaces; Electric potential; Electrical resistivity; Flexibility; Graphene; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Muscles; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Pressure sensors; Processes; Sensors; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Voltage; Wearable technology; Wrist
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-022-06088-6

Recently, the macroporous and free-shaped reduced graphene oxide paper (MFGP) has been considered a sensing medium due to its ultralightweight, flexibility and good electrical conductivity performance. Here, a highly sensitive MFGP-based strain and pressure sensor is fabricated based on the macroporous reduced graphene oxide (rGO) paper. The honeycomb-like macroporous structure was obtained using a confined space to constrain the expansion paper to a certain thickness. Due to the interlock and layer-by-layer macroporous structure, the strain and pressure sensor has an ultrahigh gauge factor of 143 in the strain range of 7.6–11% and 1.5 kPa –1 in the pressure range of 0–60 kPa. Moreover, the MFGP-based strain and pressure sensor can monitor human motions such as wrist pulse, speaking and tiny muscle movements with a very low operating voltage of 5 mV. Therefore, the high sensitivity, flexibility, low operating voltage and free-shaped of the MFGP-based strain and pressure sensors demonstrate potential applications as wearable devices.