High-Performance Iontronic Pressure Sensing Through Synergistic Design of Patterned Dielectrics and Electrodes
Microscale surface design is pivotal for enhancing iontronic pressure sensors, yet achieving designed architectures through facile fabrication remains challenging. Here, we present an electrospun thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) dielectric layer featuring dual-scale morphology─surface convexity coupled with tailored porosity. When integrated with solution-processed textile electrodes, this hierarchical fiber-composite structure facilitates superior iontronic sensing. The optimized sensor demonstrates exceptional performance: 0.829 kPa–1 maximum sensitivity across 0–120 kPa, 40 ms response/recovery time, 4 Pa detection limit, and high cycling stability (over 1000 cycles), attributed to synergistic electric double-layer (EDL) effects from patterned dielectric–electrode coupling. Practical applications in continuous physiological monitoring, wearable human–machine interfaces, and spatial pressure mapping validate its robustness. The solution-based fabrication approach underscores the device’s scalability. This work provides a composite design paradigm for high-performance flexible electronics through rational microscale surface design.
Authors
- Mengdan Zhang
- Yufan Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3385-2169)
- Haiyan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8022-3447)
- Shaojie Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5820-4776)
- Rui Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5161-2109)
- Dejun Wen
- Ao Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7090-1187)
- Xiao Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8407-8360)
- Xueliang Xiao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1898-8267)
Institutions
- Jiangnan University (CN)
- China Shenhua Energy (China) (CN)
- Ministry of Education (BD)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Applied Polymer Materials
- Published
- 2025-10-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.5c03220
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.67