Flexible conductive film with stretch reversibility for strain sensing applications

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Abstract ‌Flexible strain sensors have emerged as essential components in wearable electronics, bioelectronics, health monitoring, and electronic skin (e-skin). With advancements in flexible electronics, lightweight, ultra-thin, stretch-resistant, and real-time monitoring devices will become crucial in future applications. A novel flexible film with a unique PDMS/PVA/AgNW composite structure has been successfully developed by integrating a bilayer polymer system of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with silver nanowires (AgNWs). Due to the stretch-induced surface wrinkles of the bilayer polymer, coupled with the exceptional transparency and conductivity of the AgNWs, this composite film demonstrates excellent strain-sensing performance, exhibits remarkable flexibility, transparency, conductivity, and reversible stretching properties. Compared to single-layer polymer-based PDMS/AgNW film, the PDMS/PVA/AgNW film demonstrates significantly improved tensile strength, reversible resistance and stable microstructural appearance. Furthermore, the PDMS/PVA/AgNW film has demonstrated a stable dynamic response to repeated bending and relaxation of a forefinger, maintaining exceptional repeatability over repeated cycling tests.