Issue

Vol. 17 (2025)

Bioinspired Ultrasensitive Flexible Strain Sensors for Real-Time Wireless Detection of Liquid Leakage

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01575-2
Weilong Zhou
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Yu Du
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Yingying Chen
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Congyuan Zhang
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Xiaowei Ning
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Heng Xie
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, People’s Republic of China
Ting Wu
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Jinlian Hu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR 999077, People’s Republic of China
Jinping Qu
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Jinlian Hu

jinliahu@cityu.edu.hk

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 17 (2025), Article Number: 68

Abstract

Liquid leakage of pipeline networks not only results in considerable resource wastage but also leads to environmental pollution and ecological imbalance. In response to this global issue, a bioinspired superhydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane/carbon nanotubes/graphene nanosheets flexible strain sensor (TCGS) has been developed using a combination of micro-extrusion compression molding and surface modification for real-time wireless detection of liquid leakage. The TCGS utilizes the synergistic effects of Archimedean spiral crack arrays and micropores, which are inspired by the remarkable sensory capabilities of scorpions. This design achieves a sensitivity of 218.13 at a strain of 2%, which is an increase of 4300%. Additionally, it demonstrates exceptional durability by withstanding over 5000 usage cycles. The robust superhydrophobicity of the TCGS significantly enhances sensitivity and stability in detecting small-scale liquid leakage, enabling precise monitoring of liquid leakage across a wide range of sizes, velocities, and compositions while issuing prompt alerts. This provides critical early warnings for both industrial pipelines and potential liquid leakage scenarios in everyday life. The development and utilization of bioinspired ultrasensitive flexible strain sensors offer an innovative and effective solution for the early wireless detection of liquid leakage.


Highlights:
1 Micro-extrusion compression molding and surface modification were proposed for the mass fabrication of a superhydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane sensor (TCGS).
2 Inspired by scorpions, TCGS features Archimedean spiral crack arrays and micropores, achieving 218.13 sensitivity at 2% strain, a 4300% increase, and over 5000 usage cycles of durability.
3 The robust superhydrophobicity of TCGS improves sensitivity and stability for detecting small-scale liquid leakage, allowing precise monitoring across various sizes and compositions while providing early warnings in various scenarios.

Keywords

Thermoplastic polyurethane Bioinspired Cracks Liquid leakage Flexible strain sensor
Zhou, Weilong, Yu Du, Yingying Chen, Congyuan Zhang, Xiaowei Ning, Heng Xie, Ting Wu, Jinlian Hu, and Jinping Qu. 2024. “Bioinspired Ultrasensitive Flexible Strain Sensors for Real-Time Wireless Detection of Liquid Leakage”. Nano-Micro Letters 17 (November):68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01575-2.
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