Developing laser-induced graphene from colorless polyimide for enhanced performance in pressure sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators

This research advances the application of Laser-Induced Graphene (LIG) in pressure sensing and energy harvesting, focusing on LIG derived from fluorine-integrated colorless polyimide (CPI) films. The graphitization of CPI films using laser techniques, validated by ReaxFF simulations, creates a porous LIG structure ideal for high-sensitivity pressure sensors. The CPI-LIG pressure sensor demonstrates exceptional sensitivity (60.340 kPa⁻¹ at 1.0–1.5 kPa), quick response (27 ms), and fast recovery (36 ms), with proven accuracy in tracking human movements. Additionally, the CPI-LIG enhanced triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) significantly boosts power output to 65.2 mW/m², a 650% increase over traditional LIG, under a 40 MΩ load. This study thus reveals novel applications of CPI-derived LIG in sensitive pressure sensors and efficient energy harvesters.