High-sensitivity piezoresistive sensors based on cellulose handsheets using origami-inspired corrugated structures

Hao Zhang; Shijun Wang; Jie Zhang; Gan Zhou; Xiaohang Sun; Yiming Wang; Yujie Wang; Kang Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121742

High-sensitivity piezoresistive sensors based on cellulose handsheets using origami-inspired corrugated structures

Carbohydr Polym. 2024 Mar 15:328:121742. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121742. Epub 2023 Dec 28.

Authors

Hao Zhang¹, Shijun Wang², Jie Zhang², Gan Zhou², Xiaohang Sun³, Yiming Wang⁴, Yujie Wang², Kang Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical and Printing-Dyeing Engineering, Henan University of Engineering, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, PR China. Electronic address: zhanghaobjfu@126.com.
² School of Chemical and Printing-Dyeing Engineering, Henan University of Engineering, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, PR China.
³ School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong 519082, PR China.
⁴ Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

PMID: 38220352
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121742

Abstract

Cellulose-based composites have attracted significant attention in the fabrication and advancement of wearable devices due to their sustainable, degradable, and cost-effective properties. However, achieving a cellulosic sensor with reliable sensory feedback remains challenging owing to the deficiency in reversible microstructures during response processes. In this study, we developed a piezoresistive sensor consisting of nearly pure cellulose handsheets using origami-inspired corrugated structures to achieve durable and sensitive piezoresistive responses. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as conducting agents. With the addition of 7 wt% MWCNTs, 36.27 % of the cellulose fiber surface was covered and the conductivity of cellulose handsheets was increased to 8.7 S/m. The obtained conductive cellulose handsheets were transformed into corrugated structures and integrated orthogonally to construct the piezoresistive sensors with reversible electrical paths for electrons. The restorable corrugated structure endowed the sensors with a wide workable pressure range (0-10 kPa), high sensitivity (6.09 kPa^-1 in a range of 0-0.92 kPa), fast response time (<280 ms), and good durability (>1000 cycles). Furthermore, the practical applications of the proposed sensors as wearable devices were demonstrated through phonation, real-time sports monitoring, and step pressure tests.

Keywords: Cellulose handsheets; Corrugated structure; MWCNTs; Origami; Piezoresistive sensor; Wearable electronics.