Fabrication and Characterization of Single-Layer Textile-Based Flexible Pressure Sensors for Smart Wearable Electronics Applications

Textile-based sensors have been widely studied for wearable monitoring. The sensor systems demand a large sensing area, flexibility, and scalable fabrication method. Herein, single-layer piezoresistive sensors are developed by a machine stitching technique using metallic and graphene nanoplatelets-coated conductive threads and fabrics. The pressure-sensing mechanism is based on measuring the electrical resistance due to the change in the contact area between the conductive thread and fabric as pressure on the sensor varies. The single-layer sensor design provides flexibility and overcomes the physical drift of the sensor during human activities, which enhances wearability and performance. The coated textiles are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Physical and electromechanical tests are performed on the sensors to evaluate their wearability and sensing performance. The sensors exhibit a wide working range of up to 100 kPa and good sensitivity with excellent durability against repeated mechanical deformations. The application potential of the sensors in real-time monitoring is demonstrated by embedding them into clothing as a wearable device. Moreover, the effectiveness of the sensors is tested for posture correction. This article suggests a novel technique to fabricate durable, flexible, and highly efficient pressure sensors for smart wearable applications.