Green technique solvent-free fabrication of silver nanoparticle–carbon nanotube flexible films for wearable sensors.

A sensitive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based wearable piezoresistive sensor based on Ag nanoparticles@multi-walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite (AgCNT) films prepared by a simple, green, cost-effective, and easy to industrially scalable approach of tip-sonication with spray process was proposed for the application in human motion detecting. • A green, cost-effective, and easy to scalable approach of tip-sonication with spray process is used to synthesize AgNP@MWCNT aqueous solution. • The simple device assembly technology for biocompatitive AgNP@MWCNT based wearable sensor can be scalable. • Decoration of AgNPs on MWCNTs pushes the wearable sensor to have improved sensing performances. • Finger movement recognition is sampled by testing the exceptional resistance change, exhibiting its practicality. Fabricating flexible/stretchable physical sensors has emerged as a topic of interest owing to the huge market demand for wearable medical devices and electronic skins for the regular and continuous monitoring of human health information. Herein, we report a green and efficient strategy for constructing a sensitive polydimethylsiloxane-derived wearable piezoresistive sensor, based on silver nanoparticle (AgNP)@multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite films. The developed sensing material exhibits good flexibility and electrical conductivity because of the interfacial effect between AgNPs and CNTs, leading to excellent sensing performances with good sensitivity, fast response time, low operating voltage, and mechanical stability, as measured under different pressure loading, bending angle, and percentage elongation conditions. In addition, finger movement recognition is sampled by testing the exceptional resistance change, and its practicality was further proven. Thus, the developed material has potential for application in wearable electronics. Notably, the entire sensor fabrication process is low-cost, environment-friendly, scalable, and industrially available, which is beneficial for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]