Three-dimensional AgNps@Mxene@PEDOT:PSS composite hybrid foam as a piezoresistive pressure sensor with ultra-broad working range

Piezoresistive pressure sensors are becoming increasingly popular for their applications in human motion detection, wearable electronics, health monitoring, and man–machine interfaces. Sensors with superior sensitivity and a broad range of sensing are desirable for practical implementation. To achieve those, a low-cost, scalable and simple fabrication technique of dip coating Ti(3)C(2 )(MXene), PEDOT:PSS, and AgNPs onto a melamine foam is proposed. The prepared sensor demonstrated sensitivity of 414.27 kPa(−1) at (4.17–12.98 kPa), 182.52 kPa(−1) at (12.98–94.55 kPa), 317.78 kPa(−1) at (94.55 kPa–1.94 MPa), 164.32 kPa(−1) at (> 1.94 MPa), extraordinaire detecting range 977.6 N and outstanding repeatability. The sensor was successfully applied for the real-time detection of heartbeat pulse, limb movement, human weight and powered an LED. Furthermore, an integrated circuit design with sensors had the ability to identify spatial pressure distribution and visualize it on a pressure map. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10853-022-08012-y.