High sensitive electrospun thermoplastic polyurethane/carbon nanotubes strain sensor fitting by a novel optimization empirical model

A variety of high-performance strain sensors for monitoring changes in physical quantities have attracted considerable interest from academia and industry. In this work, a high sensitive flexible strain sensor is fabricated through electrospun thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibrous film with dip-coating ultrasonication treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs). TPU/CNTs strain sensor exhibits an excellent comprehensive performance of high sensitivity (maximum gauge factor of 1571), outstanding tensile strength and toughness (stress > 24 MPa, strain > 400%), brilliant durability (10,000 cycles at 10% strain) and a widely workable stretching range (0-400%). Based on the properties of high sensitivity, wearable and wide workable, TPU/CNTs strain sensor has been prepared as a simple application for intelligent terminals, e-skins and body activity monitoring. More importantly, this work introduces a novel optimization empirical equation to describe and predict the conductive response on the stretching of the sensor. Compared with the general optimization model, the novel optimization empirical model presents a better fitting degree and more similar to the benchmark mathematic model from tunnelling theory. Furthermore, this model provides a good description of the changes in the conductive pathways during the operation of different sensors as well.

Automated summary

A highly sensitive flexible strain sensor was fabricated using electrospun thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibrous film with dip-coating ultrasonication treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The TPU/CNTs strain sensor exhibited excellent performance in terms of high sensitivity, tensile strength, toughness, durability, and stretching range. Moreover, a novel optimization empirical equation was introduced to describe and predict the conductive response of the sensor during stretching.