Fiber‐Shaped, Stretchable Strain Sensors with High Linearity by One‐Step Injection Molding for Structural Health Monitoring

Abstract Fiber‐shaped strain sensors have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional stretchability, conductivity, and flexibility, making them promising for applications in wearable electronics, smart textiles, and structural health monitoring. However, most reported ones based on elastic conductive fibers are fabricated by blending conductive materials with polymers, lacking effective encapsulation to resist environmental interferences such as dust and water. Inspired by the myelin sheath of nerve fibers, a fiber‐shaped, stretchable strain sensor featuring an elastic silicone tube is developed as the encapsulation layer and a conductive hybrid film as the sensing layer. The difference in rebound hysteresis capacity between the silicone tube and the hybrid film effectively enhances the sensor's recovery after stretching. Experimental results demonstrate that the sensors exhibit a linearity of up to 0.9958, a stretchability of 100% strain, and outstanding cyclic stability over 7 000 loading‐unloading cycles. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates multi‐functionality in monitoring strain, temperature, and pressure while maintaining robust water and dust resistance. Application tests on large‐scale bridges and agricultural greenhouses have validated its effectiveness in structural health monitoring, showcasing the significant potential for use in health monitoring systems. The sensor's environmental resilience facilitates its deployment in real‐world scenarios by minimizing interference from external factors.

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Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2025-03-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202500701
Citations
13
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
8.76

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article

Fiber‐Shaped, Stretchable Strain Sensors with High Linearity by One‐Step Injection Molding for Structural Health Monitoring

Jingting Wang, Donghan Li, Changchao Zhang, Wenda Song et al.
13 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
8.76
article

Fiber‐Shaped, Stretchable Strain Sensors with High Linearity by One‐Step Injection Molding for Structural Health Monitoring

Jingting Wang, Donghan Li, Changchao Zhang, Wenda Song, Jun Yuan, Linpeng Liu, Jingxiang Wang, Cong Wang, Zhiwu Han, Luquan Ren, Dongyan Huang, Bo Liu
article en
13 citations

Abstract

Abstract Fiber‐shaped strain sensors have attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional stretchability, conductivity, and flexibility, making them promising for applications in wearable electronics, smart textiles, and structural health monitoring. However, most reported ones based on elastic conductive fibers are fabricated by blending conductive materials with polymers, lacking effective encapsulation to resist environmental interferences such as dust and water. Inspired by the myelin sheath of nerve fibers, a fiber‐shaped, stretchable strain sensor featuring an elastic silicone tube is developed as the encapsulation layer and a conductive hybrid film as the sensing layer. The difference in rebound hysteresis capacity between the silicone tube and the hybrid film effectively enhances the sensor's recovery after stretching. Experimental results demonstrate that the sensors exhibit a linearity of up to 0.9958, a stretchability of 100% strain, and outstanding cyclic stability over 7 000 loading‐unloading cycles. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates multi‐functionality in monitoring strain, temperature, and pressure while maintaining robust water and dust resistance. Application tests on large‐scale bridges and agricultural greenhouses have validated its effectiveness in structural health monitoring, showcasing the significant potential for use in health monitoring systems. The sensor's environmental resilience facilitates its deployment in real‐world scenarios by minimizing interference from external factors.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 35(31)
Central South University (CN), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), Jilin University (CN), Jilin Agricultural University (CN), Chengdu Institute of Biology (CN)
Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
8.76
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