Copper-Coated E-Glass Fiber-Based Strain Sensors for High Temperatures

Flexible conducting ceramics offer exciting potential for advanced high-temperature electronic and thermal management applications, but challenges remain in achieving both flexibility and high electrical conductivity without compromising the material’s structural integrity. In this study, we present a flexible metallized E-glass fiber network formed via mixing copper molecular ink with ceramic fibers (copper-coated aluminum borosilicate) to enable strain sensing under harsh conditions, exhibiting a gauge factor of 1.34 and a response time of 100 ms at room temperature. A silicon carbide preceramic precursor was further coated to achieve a synergistic combination of high-temperature oxidation resistance. The flexible sensor functions effectively at temperatures of up to 400 °C, making it suitable for high-temperature environments, with a gauge factor of 0.181. Additionally, incorporating a printed dipole antenna allows for a self-powered system that can wirelessly respond to real-time applied strains.