Dual-parameter stretchable, transferable mesh piezoresistive sensor for electronic skin detection of strain and temperature changes

Abstract Wearable sensors integrating multiple functions have great potential in artificial intelligence and flexible electronics at this stage and can perceive various external stimuli with high sensitivity and accuracy, such as strain, stress, and temperature. However, because multiple parameters do affect each other and reduce the sensing performance, making a single device that can detect multiple functions simultaneously is a huge challenge. In this paper, a strain-temperature dual-parameter sensor is developed with a planar structure design and used poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonic acid) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes polymerization materials to prepare a micron-sized film. The influence of two-dimensional structures on sensing performance is explored through simulation, and a structure with large deformation is selected to improve the strain detection range. The sensor can detect static and dynamic strain signals, and can maintain good linearity and response speed below 100 ms within a large strain range of 20%. In addition, the sensor also exhibits good temperature detection capability, with a temperature sensitivity of 18.2 μV K−1 and the ability to detect static and dynamic temperature changes with long-term stability. Finally, the sensor is tested in some actual scenarios, reflecting that the sensor manufactured has the dual-detection ability, showing sensitive strain monitoring and temperature perception decoupled between the dual signals. The sensor is realized with circuit board acquisition and wireless communication, combining multi-channel applications. Our research provides a feasible method for constructing multi-parameter human-computer interaction sensors.