A novel flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor based on PVDF/PVA-CNTs electrospun composite film

Flexible pressure sensors have attracted great attentions in recent years. In this work, an innovative piezoresistive pressure sensor was prepared using a flexible composite film by dip-coating a self-made PVA-CNTs (polyvinyl alcohol-carbon nanotubes) slurry on a layer of electrospun PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) fibrous network. A set of flexible sensor samples with different concentrations of PVA-CNTs slurry and different layers of electrospun PVDF network were investigated for sensing performances. The sensor made of double-layer PVDF network with 2 wt% CNTs of slurry was found to have good sensitivity, wide sensing range and little hysteresis effect of 0.0196 kPa −1 , 0–40 kPa, and 13.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor also presented good repeatability and stability over 80 compression cycles under a pressure of 35 kPa. Finger movement monitoring was also conducted by using the pressure sensor. Great comprehensive properties of the flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor indicated it a huge promising possibility of applications in human health detection and smart wears.