Highly Deformable Microfluidic Sweat Sensors Fabricated via Roll‐to‐Roll Scalable Processes

ABSTRACT Disposable sweat sensors are essential tools for sweat‐based diagnostics, enabling comprehensive insights into sweat physiology. To support widespread applications and large‐scale studies, it is critical to develop sensors that are mass‐producible, user‐friendly, and capable of delivering consistent performance. Roll‐to‐roll processing enables scalable, and uniform manufacturing of flexible microfluidic sensors, addressing the throughput and complexity limitations of traditional methods such as photolithography and vacuum deposition. In this study, we present a highly deformable microfluidic sweat sensor fabricated via roll‐to‐roll processes. The sensor is constructed by laminating sweat‐sensing electrodes patterned on thermoplastic polyurethane with polydimethylsiloxane microstructures to form microfluidic channels. By adapting screen printing and hot imprinting techniques for roll‐to‐roll manufacturing, high‐throughput production is achieved. This method yields hundreds of customizable sensors per roll, exhibiting excellent mechanical flexibility, reproducible sensing performance, and scalability. Furthermore, the developed sweat sensor is demonstrated during wear on the fingertip, showcasing its capability for real‐time sweat rate monitoring on an anatomically curved surface. These advancements position the roll‐to‐roll‐fabricated sweat sensor as a promising solution for large‐scale, real‐time sweat diagnostic applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Materials Technologies
Published
2025-12-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202501350
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Highly Deformable Microfluidic Sweat Sensors Fabricated via Roll‐to‐Roll Scalable Processes

Liam Gillan, Jussi Hiltunen, Johanna Hiitola‐Keinänen, Soo‐Yeon Cho et al.
Advanced Materials Technologies
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Highly Deformable Microfluidic Sweat Sensors Fabricated via Roll‐to‐Roll Scalable Processes

Liam Gillan, Jussi Hiltunen, Johanna Hiitola‐Keinänen, Soo‐Yeon Cho, Ali Javey, Noelle Davis, Yullim Lee, Youngho Song, Seung‐Rok Kim, Olli‐Heikki Huttunen, Elina Hakola, Nicole Qing
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Disposable sweat sensors are essential tools for sweat‐based diagnostics, enabling comprehensive insights into sweat physiology. To support widespread applications and large‐scale studies, it is critical to develop sensors that are mass‐producible, user‐friendly, and capable of delivering consistent performance. Roll‐to‐roll processing enables scalable, and uniform manufacturing of flexible microfluidic sensors, addressing the throughput and complexity limitations of traditional methods such as photolithography and vacuum deposition. In this study, we present a highly deformable microfluidic sweat sensor fabricated via roll‐to‐roll processes. The sensor is constructed by laminating sweat‐sensing electrodes patterned on thermoplastic polyurethane with polydimethylsiloxane microstructures to form microfluidic channels. By adapting screen printing and hot imprinting techniques for roll‐to‐roll manufacturing, high‐throughput production is achieved. This method yields hundreds of customizable sensors per roll, exhibiting excellent mechanical flexibility, reproducible sensing performance, and scalability. Furthermore, the developed sweat sensor is demonstrated during wear on the fingertip, showcasing its capability for real‐time sweat rate monitoring on an anatomically curved surface. These advancements position the roll‐to‐roll‐fabricated sweat sensor as a promising solution for large‐scale, real‐time sweat diagnostic applications.

Advanced Materials TechnologiesVol. 11(6)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US), Kavli Energy NanoScience Institute (US), Sungkyunkwan University (KR), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (FI), University of California, Berkeley (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 62%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
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