A cost-effective and high-sensitivity pressure sensor for wearable electronics using an MXene/Ag NFs-coated cotton fabric†

Abstract

Wearable pressure sensors show significant potential in areas such as health monitoring, electronic skin and human–computer interaction. However, achieving a balance between a wide sensing range and high sensitivity while simultaneously reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying fabrication processes remains a significant challenge for wearable pressure sensors. In this study, pressure sensors based on an MXene/Ag NFs coated cotton fabric (MACF) were prepared by a simple dip-coating technique. The hydroxyl groups in the cotton fabric interact with the hydrophilic groups on the MXene nanosheets, promoting strong adhesion between the two materials and forming a practical conductive pathway. The MACF sensor adopts a sandwich structure, demonstrating excellent performance, including a wide sensing range (0–60 kPa), high sensitivity (1.45 kPa⁻¹, 0–10 kPa), and stable responses over 410 cycles. The working mechanism of the MACF sensor is discussed in detail. Notably, the sensor maintains stable sensing performance under extreme humidity (40–80 RH%) and temperature conditions (20–100 °C). Furthermore, the sensor successfully detects and differentiates various human physiological signals, such as finger movements and wrist pulses. This study presents a simple fabrication method that achieves a balance between sensitivity and sensing range in cotton fabric-based sensors, demonstrating promising potential for applications in flexible wearable devices, electronic skins, and bionic robots.