Borophene pressure sensing for electronic skin and human-machine interface

• Published in: Nano energy Vol. 97; p. 107189
• Main Authors: Hou, Chuang, Tai, Guoan, Liu, Yi, Liu, Runsheng, Liang, Xinchao, Wu, Zitong, Wu, Zenghui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.06.2022
• Subjects: Borophene; Electronic skin; Human motions; Human-machine interface; Pressure sensor; Borophene; Human motions; Electronic skin; Human-machine interface; Pressure sensor
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2022.107189

Wearable pressure sensors, which can rapidly respond to small pressure variations, play a crucial role in health monitoring system, human-machine interfaces, robotic technologies and artificial intelligence devices. Although conductive nanomaterials have been considered as sensing layers for the sensors, several drawbacks still exist: narrow detection range, high power consumption and poor integration. Here, we report that a high-performance pressure sensor can be fabricated using the novel two-dimensional semiconducting borophene as the active material. It is found that the sensor shows a high sensitivity (2.16 kPa-1), broad pressure ranges (0–120 kPa), low detection limit (down to 10 Pa), low power consumption (around 0.6 μW) and high reproducibility (more than 1000 cycles). Furthermore, we demonstrate that the borophene sensor can be used as wearable electronic skin towards health monitoring, recognition of voice and human motion wireless detection, and applied in smart robots for human-machine interface. Borophene pressure sensor has been successfully fabricated, which shows high sensitivity, broad pressure ranges, low detection limit, low power consumption and high reproducibility. Multifunctional applications of the sensor have been demonstrated in wearable electronic skin towards health monitoring, recognition of voice and human motion wireless detection, and in smart robots for human-machine interface. [Display omitted] •A high-performance pressure sensor was fabricated using the novel two-dimensional semiconducting borophene as the active material.•The borophene sensor displays distinct superiority in sensing properties with high sensitivity and wide response range.•Multifunctional applications of the sensor have been demonstrated in wearable electronic skin and smart robots.