Hierarchical design of waterproof, highly sensitive, and wearable sensing electronics based on MXene-reinforced durable cotton fabrics

Superhydrophobic wearable textile electronics are of great promising devices due to their broad application in healthcare monitoring and artificial intelligence, etc. MXenes, the emerging two-dimensional (2D) carbides and carbonitrides, are ideal candidates for fabricating wearable electronic devices. However, in an effort to maintain its highly conductive and long-term stability of cotton fabrics under harsh condition, it is an imperative demand to prepare superhydrophobic MXenes-textile sensor. Herein, a waterproof, highly sensitive, and wearable multi mode sensor was successfully fabricated by the construction of 2D MXene nanosheets and zero-dimension (0D) silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) onto a cotton fibers substrate (MX@SiNPs cotton). The as-cultivated MX@SiNPs cotton exhibited an integration of high-performance sensing toward pression, bending, and torsion, superior sensitivity (S-1 = 12.23 kPa(-1)), a stable response under press-relaxing cycles, and broad sensing ranges (pressure: 8.8 Pa - 70 kPa, bending: 0 - 180 degrees, torsion: 0 - 628 rad m(-1)). By virtue of its hierarchical structure and low surface energy of the SiNPs layer, the MXenes-textile sensor can maintain intrinsic conductivity under wet and corrosive conditions. The waterproof and highly sensitive MXene-reinforced cotton fabrics lay a basis for the broad-range application and large-scale preparation of the sensor and prolong its service life.

Automated summary

A waterproof, highly sensitive, and wearable multi mode sensor was successfully fabricated by constructing 2D MXene nanosheets and zero-dimension silicon nanoparticles onto a cotton fibers substrate. The sensor showed superior performance in sensing pression, bending, and torsion, with stable response and broad sensing ranges.