Multifunctional composite ionogel-based sensors for chronic disease surveillance and health monitoring

Abstract

Flexible sensors for real-time health monitoring are vital for early detection and long-term management of chronic diseases. Despite the valuable insights provided by existing health monitoring systems, they are often limited by functionality, dependence on external power sources, and challenges related to portability and user comfort. Herein, we presented a self-powered flexible sensor fabricated from a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite ionogel that offers frost resistance, high strength, antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility. As both the friction and conductive layers in a triboelectric nanogenerator-based sensor, the composite ionogel's output performance is significantly enhanced by the synergistic effects of Cu(NO₃)₂ and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), resulting in a 4.23-fold increase in output voltage. The developed pressure sensor exhibits a sensitivity of 2.66 V kPa⁻¹ within a range of 0.32–1.69 kPa, enabling effective monitoring of human motion and applications such as sign language recognition and chronic disease monitoring, including obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Furthermore, the incorporation of MWCNTs imparts exceptional thermal sensitivity (0.456 % °C⁻¹) to the sensor, allowing accurate real-time body temperature monitoring. These versatile ionogel sensors, which integrate real-time physiological signal tracking, have significant potential to advance wearable medical technologies and personalized healthcare solutions.