Highly durability carbon fabric strain sensor: Monitoring environmental changes and tracking human motion

Abstract

• Developed a flexible, highly durable carbon fabric strain sensor with 3D porous structure. • Exhibited high sensitivity to small strain changes (ΔR/R₀ < 0.05%) with excellent conductivity (below 20 Ω sq⁻¹). • Demonstrated stability and durability over 1,000 repetitive tensile cycles without material degradation. • Enabled accurate monitoring of complex human motions and environmental changes, even underwater. • Potential for application in wearable electronics, joint rehabilitation, environmental monitoring, and robotics Recently, e-textile-based strain sensors have been extensively researched for monitoring human motion across various environments. For practical use, fabric sensors must be both comfortable and durable when worn on the skin or integrated into clothing. This study fabricated a strain sensor using a versatile three-dimensional porous carbon fabric. Its performance was evaluated through tests measuring resistance changes under strain and relaxation, moisture absorption stability, tensile strength, temperature sensitivity, and durability over 1,000 repetitive tensile cycles. The sensor demonstrated the capability to detect small changes in ΔR/R₀ of less than 0.05% and maintained excellent conductivity, remaining below 20 Ω sq −1 , even in water. It also exhibited high elasticity and flexibility, achieving up to 50% elongation and remaining stable over 1,000 repeated measurements. To classify complex finger movements, sensors were attached to the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, allowing simultaneous detection of each finger's motion. Designed as a garment, the carbon fabric strain sensor shows potential for detecting human motion underwater or in extreme environments, with fast response times and high sensitivity.