PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Wang, Yang
AU  - Wu, Heting
AU  - Xu, Lin
AU  - Zhang, Hainan
AU  - Yang, Ya
AU  - Wang, Zhong Lin
TI  - Hierarchically patterned self-powered sensors for multifunctional tactile sensing
AID  - 10.1126/sciadv.abb9083
DP  - 2020 Aug 01
TA  - Science Advances
PG  - eabb9083
VI  - 6
IP  - 34
4099  - http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/34/eabb9083.short
4100  - http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/34/eabb9083.full
SO  - Sci Adv2020 Aug 01; 6
AB  - Flexible sensors are highly desirable for tactile sensing and wearable devices. Previous researches of smart elements have focused on flexible pressure or temperature sensors. However, realizing material identification remains a challenge. Here, we report a multifunctional sensor composed of hydrophobic films and graphene/polydimethylsiloxane sponges. By engineering and optimizing sponges, the fabricated sensor exhibits a high-pressure sensitivity of >15.22 per kilopascal, a fast response time of <74 millisecond, and a high stability over >3000 cycles. In the case of temperature stimulus, the sensor exhibits a temperature-sensing resolution of 1 kelvin via the thermoelectric effect. The sensor can generate output voltage signals after physical contact with different flat materials based on contact-induced electrification. The corresponding signals can be, in turn, used to infer material properties. This multifunctional sensor is excellent in its low cost and material identification, which provides a design concept for meeting the challenges in functional electronics.