Development of Mode-Switchable Touch Sensor Using MWCNT Composite Conductive Nonwoven Fabric.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Textile-based piezoresistive sensors are crucial for wearable electronics.
• Developing durable and conductive fabrics is essential for practical sensor applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a high-performance conductive nonwoven fabric for textile-based piezoresistive sensors.
• To optimize the fabric's electrical and physical properties.
• To demonstrate the sensor's application in a wearable device.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of conductive nonwoven fabric by spray-depositing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on cellulose nonwoven composites with carbon fibers (CNwCa).
• Enhancement of surface durability via electrospinning thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) onto the MWCNT-coated CNwCa.
• Optimization of fabric components through experimental analysis.
• Measurement of static and dynamic piezoresistive properties using a source meter and sensor driving circuitry.
• Development of a prototype bag with an integrated touch sensor and demonstration of its touchpad function via an Android application.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a flexible, conductive nonwoven fabric with optimized electrical and physical characteristics.
• Demonstration of static and dynamic piezoresistive properties.
• Successful integration into a prototype bag, functioning as a mode-switchable touch sensor controllable via an Android application.
• Verification of the sensor's utility without direct manipulation on a mobile device.

Conclusions:

• The developed flexible textile-based conductive nonwoven fabric is suitable for wearable piezoresistive sensors.
• The fabrication method offers a pathway to high-performance textile sensors.
• The integrated touch sensor in a bag demonstrates a novel human-device interaction method for wearable technology.