Flexible piezoresistive sensors have attracted extensive research interest due to their simple structure and other advantages. Sensors capable of detecting both high and subtle pressures are crucial for applications such as physiological health monitoring and human-machine interaction. Although researchers have developed various high-performance flexible piezoresistive sensors by optimizing the sensitive layer with different strategies, most existing sensors rely on a single compression mechanism (e.g., solely dependent on changes in contact area). Under high-pressure conditions, these sensors often suffer from rapid saturation due to the stiffening of microstructures, rendering them unable to detect minute pressure variations and thus limiting their suitability for high-pressure applications.

Recently, a research team led by Prof. Dongfeng Diao and Xi Zhang from Shenzhen University published a paper in Advanced Functional Materials, focusing on an ultra-wide-range microvillous flexible pressure sensor with a synchronous compression mechanism, enabling ultra-broad-range pressure monitoring. This synchronous compression mechanism includes:

1.     Microvillous structure-induced electron transfer enhancement,

2.     Increased contact area of microstructures,

3.     Reduced spacing between multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) during overall compression.

Under high-pressure conditions, these mechanisms work synergistically to induce resistance changes. As a result, the sensor can detect pressure variations as small as 5 kPa under extreme high-pressure conditions (750 kPa, simulated using a meniscus model), where commercial sensors fail to respond.

Figure 1 Conceptual design of the microvillous microstructure pressure sensor

Figure 2 Sensor performance testing and comparison

Figure 3 Design and testing of a flexible hybrid electronic system based on the microvillous microstructure pressure sensor

Figure 4 Human-machine interaction applications and tactile perception of end-effectors using the microvillous microstructure pressure sensor

The sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of 58.88 kPa⁻¹, an ultra-wide working range (50 Pa to 782.5 kPa), a fast response time of 9 ms, and excellent durability (10,000 cycles at 250 kPa). This flexible pressure sensor also demonstrates potential for multi-scenario applications. The proposed synchronous compression mechanism provides new insights for the design of future high-performance flexible sensors.

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Guangdong Natural Science Foundation, and the Shenzhen Outstanding Technological Innovation Talent Program, among others.

Paper Link:
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202425774

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