A Piezoresistive Cork-Based Sustainable and Robust Sensor for Force-Sensing Application

Traditional graphene synthesis methods have been proven effective in creating high-quality output but often involve low-throughput, expensive equipment, and resources. The unique atomic structure and high electrical conductivity of graphene make it a promising choice for a wide range of sensing applications. A high demand to develop scalable, economical, and sustainable synthesis methods is required to enhance the quality and characteristics of the resultant graphene. Laser irradiation of organic substrates to produce laser-induced graphene (LIG) offers a feasible and emerging approach to develop cost-effective and flexible graphene with potential applications. In addition, this bottom-up approach is a maskless, chemical-free patterning process on sustainable substrates, yielding green or environment-friendly applications. The fabrication and characterization of novel LIG-based electrodes from cork substrates for sensing applications are presented in this article. The evaluation of low-cost, sustainable, cork-based graphene sensors for force sensing applications is also presented. The prototypes were fabricated using an open fiber laser and tested in a laboratory setting to validate the capability of the LIG-based sensors. The sensors’ responses were measured in terms of the change in resistance with respect to an applied force. The experimental results provide a podium for the developed prototypes for applications in sports biomechanics and gait biometrics.