Microstructured CNTs/Cellulose Aerogel for a Highly Sensitive Pressure Sensor

Flexible sensors have been applied in human health monitoring and biomedical research, but producing high-performance piezoresistive sensors at low cost is still challenging. To address these shortcomings, we proposed a microstructured carbon nanotube (CNT)/cellulose aerogel-based pressure sensor. The sensor consists of three parts, i.e., cellulose/poly(vinyl alcohol)/CNT aerogel-based sensing layer and top and bottom thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU)/silver nanowire (Ag NW) nanofiber electrode. The aerogel is fabricated using a simple freeze-drying method and an easy electrospinning method to obtain the nanofiber-based electrode. Two TPU/Ag NW nanofiber electrodes sandwiched the aerogel with a microstructure in the middle. Benefiting from the microcone and micropore structures on the nanofiber electrode, the assembled sensors show a high sensitivity of 66.4 kPa