Green preparation of graphene-based plantar pressure sensor

Herein, a convenient and green way to obtain graphene/PDMS film pressure sensor toward large-scale production was demonstrated by vacuum deaeration mixing and screen printing. Graphene can be uniformly dispersed in the PDMS through high-speed revolution and rotation without traditional mechanical stirring and the aid of organic solvents. The overprinting of the sensing layer and the conductive layer by screen printing accelerated the assembly of sensors. By optimizing the ratio of graphene, PDMS and curing agent to change crosslink and conductive networks, excellent sensing performances are achieved in a wide pressure range (3-400 kPa). Furthermore, we integrated 25 sensing units to form intelligent insoles for wearable electronics, which are combined with external Bluetooth module and have a higher recognition accuracy in heel contact, midstance, heel off and toe off. Hence, with the efficient preparation process and remarkable sensing performance, graphene-based pressure sensor is promising in the healthcare application.

Automated summary

A convenient and green method for obtaining graphene/PDMS film pressure sensor was demonstrated through vacuum deaeration mixing and screen printing. Graphene was dispersed in PDMS without traditional mechanical stirring and the aid of organic solvents. By optimizing the ratio of graphene, PDMS, and curing agent, excellent sensing performances are achieved. Furthermore, 25 sensing units were integrated into intelligent insoles for wearable electronics, which showed higher recognition accuracy in various movements. With the efficient preparation process and remarkable sensing performance, graphene-based pressure sensor has promising applications in healthcare.