Stretchable Sweat Lactate Sensor with Dual-Signal Read-Outs.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Wearable sweat sensors offer non-invasive health monitoring.
• Lactate in sweat is a key indicator for physiological and sports performance.
• Existing sensors face challenges in robustness and sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize stretchable electrodes for enhanced lactate sensing.
• To create a dual-signal (electrochemical and fluorescence) wearable sensor.
• To evaluate sensor performance under physical stress and varied conditions.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of stretchable electrodes with ultrahigh active surface area (648%).
• Functionalization with Toluidine Blue O, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and lactate dehydrogenase.
• Utilizing β-Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor for lactate selectivity.
• Dual-signal detection (electrochemical and fluorescence) for lactate measurement.

Main Results:

• Achieved ultrahigh active surface area of 648% in stretchable electrodes.
• Demonstrated dual-signal read-out for sensitive and reliable lactate detection.
• Sensor performance remained largely unaffected by physical deformation and shifted excitation.
• Exhibited robustness for wearable health monitoring applications.

Conclusions:

• The developed stretchable electrodes and dual-signal sensor offer a promising platform for wearable health monitoring.
• The sensor's robustness under compromised conditions highlights its adaptability.
• This innovation advances non-invasive lactate sensing for sports physiology and general health assessment.