Spike-Stimulated Dendritic Networks with Interparticle Quantum Tunneling for Ultrasensitive, Transparent and Flexible Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor

Abstract

Mechano-electrical signal transductions based on interparticle quantum tunneling in polymer matrix composite system are widely used in various fields of biomedical healthcare monitoring, energy converting electronics, wearable devices, and human-machine interfaces due to the enormous potentials, enabling to realize integrated sensing electronic system. Piezoresistive type pressure sensors can be upmost candidates as befitting components for mechanical sensing devices thanks to the feasible merits. However, existing strategies for the formation of percolative signal transductions which are composed of non-featured electroactive particles have shown low sensitivity, membrane rigidity, and opaque device in despite of the fact that piezoresistive pressure sensors act as the key sensitizer layer in sensing system. Here, we demonstrate synergistically combined spike-stimulated dendritic networks leading to the sig- nificantly reinforced-quantum electron tunneling effect between interparticle microchannels on geometrically dendritic surface. Polymer-based composite layer composed of electroactive metal particles and elastomeric matrix shows standout capability to transport electrical distribution and signal transduction from the dynamic external stimuli into digital signal driving multifunctional device performance on the human skin and display touch screen. Our approach provides a remarkable improvements in sensing performance and operation stability such as ultrahigh sensitivity (160.3 kPa-1), device flexibility, and even high optical transparency (75.4 T%, 100). In addition, the flexible and transparent PU composite layers were demonstrated as a multifunctional pressure sensor for signal detection of the physical movement of the skin and a transparent touch panel with flexibility, mechanical/chemical stability (> 30000 cycles), and short response/recovery time (< 21 ms).