Direct synthesis of composite conductive carbon nanofiber aerogels with continuous internal networks for collaborative physiological signal monitoring under complex environments

The emergence of multifunctional wearable flexible sensors has propelled advancements in healthcare and outdoor sports. However, conventional aerogels used for multifunctional sensing often involve complex fabrication processes, lack durability, and struggle to achieve collaborative sensing in complex scenarios, sometimes even lacking conductivity. This paper presents a novel strategy for synthesizing aerogels with interconnected internal networks directly through electrospinning technology, forming a three-dimensional fluffy structure with interlinked nanofibers. Subsequently, ultra-lightweight, highly elastic, and conductive composite carbon nanofiber aerogels (CCNA) were synthesized through high-temperature calcination and in-situ polymerization, suitable for collaborative physiological signal monitoring in complex situations. By controlling the density and phase separation of the charge jet, the three-dimensional fluffy structure of CCNA can be directly formed without strict reliance on external environmental conditions. The combination of CCNA's three-dimensional fluffiness and hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties enables it to operate within an extremely wide range of relative humidity (10% RH - 95% RH), while its internally continuous fiber network structure ensures stable and reliable electrical signal response even after 5000 compression cycles, with a compression response time of only 55ms. The developed flexible wearable electronic device holds promising prospects in healthcare and intelligent sensing applications. •Proposing an innovative method to prepare 3D composite nanofiber aerogels.•Fiber structure with internal reinforcement.•Reliable mechanical performance and broad monitoring environment.•Suitable for multimodal sensing.•Physiological signal monitoring under complex conditions.