High-Sensitivity Triboelectric Pressure Sensor with Dual-Microcone Synergistic Enhancement for Wearable Electronics and Biomechanical Monitoring

Abstract

Flexible triboelectric pressure sensors have demonstrated significant potential in wearable electronics, electronic skin, human–machine interaction, and robotic tactile sensing. However, the inherent trade-off between sensitivity and dynamic response range remains a critical bottleneck for practical applications. Current research predominantly focuses on enhancing sensitivity through either single-layer microstructure optimization or rigid electrode materials while overlooking the contribution of multilayer heterogeneous structures to the mechano-electrical synergistic effect. Conventional designs employing single-layer or porous architectures are significantly constrained by stress dissipation effects, which substantially limit the detection threshold and response linearity. This study proposes a four-layer composite structural sensor design based on bionic microcone synergistic enhancement. The design features a dual-microstructure dynamic coupling system comprising a metal electrode, silicone rubber triboelectric layer, and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stress conduction layer, enabling precise force signal transmission and full-field mapping. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed design exhibits nonlinear sensitivity grading characteristics within the 0–50 kPa range, achieving a 2.3-fold enhancement compared to conventional single-microstructure sensors (without dedicated stress conduction layers) while reducing the hysteresis error to 8.7%.