A Flexible Pressure Sensor with Ink Printed Porous Graphene for Continuous Cardiovascular Status Monitoring

Flexible electronics with continuous monitoring ability a extensively preferred in various medical applications. In this work, a flexible pressure sensor based on porous graphene (PG) is proposed for continuous cardiovascular status monitoring. The whole sensor is fabricated in situ by ink printing technology, which grants it the potential for large-scale manufacture. Moreover, to enhance its long-term usage ability, a polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene vinylacetate (PET/EVA)-laminated film is employed to protect the sensor from unexpected shear forces on the skin surface. The sensor exhibits great sensitivity (53.99/MPa), high resolution (less than 0.3 kPa), wide detecting range (0.3 kPa to 1 MPa), desirable robustness, and excellent repeatability (1000 cycles). With the assistance of the proposed pressure sensor, vital cardiovascular conditions can be accurately monitored, including heart rate, respiration rate, pulse wave velocity, and blood pressure. Compared to other sensors based on self-supporting 2D materials, this sensor can endure more complex environments and has enormous application potential for the medical community.

Automated summary

A flexible pressure sensor based on porous graphene has been proposed in this work, fabricated by ink printing technology with the potential for large-scale manufacture. The sensor exhibits great sensitivity, high resolution, wide detecting range, desirable robustness, and excellent repeatability, making it suitable for accurately monitoring vital cardiovascular conditions. Compared to sensors based on self-supporting 2D materials, this sensor can withstand more complex environments and has enormous application potential in the medical community.