Sweat permeable and ultrahigh strength 3D PVDF piezoelectric nanoyarn fabric strain sensor

Abstract Commercial wearable piezoelectric sensors possess excellent anti-interference stability due to their electronic packaging. However, this packaging renders them barely breathable and compromises human comfort. To address this issue, we develop a PVDF piezoelectric nanoyarns with an ultrahigh strength of 313.3 MPa, weaving them with different yarns to form three-dimensional piezoelectric fabric (3DPF) sensor using the advanced 3D textile technology. The tensile strength (46.0 MPa) of 3DPF exhibits the highest among the reported flexible piezoelectric sensors. The 3DPF features anti-gravity unidirectional liquid transport that allows sweat to move from the inner layer near to the skin to the outer layer in 4 s, resulting in a comfortable and dry environment for the user. It should be noted that sweating does not weaken the piezoelectric properties of 3DPF, but rather enhances. Additionally, the durability and comfortability of 3DPF are similar to those of the commercial cotton T-shirts. This work provides a strategy for developing comfortable flexible wearable electronic devices.