Superhydrophobic carbon nanodot-tube/MXene/microfiber coupling textile for highly reliable amphibious human motion monitoring

Abstract

Superhydrophobic flexible strain sensors exhibit significant potential for detecting human behavior in amphibious environments. However, stable monitoring of amphibious human motion remains a notable challenge, as electronic devices exposed to wet environments, particularly corrosive liquids, can lose their effectiveness due to damage to conductive networks. Herein, we report the design of a superhydrophobic carbon nanodot-tube/MXene/microfiber coupled textile (SCNCT) by dip-coating a 2D conductive adhesive layer, followed by spray-coating a suspension of fluorinated 0D/1D conductive networks onto substrates. Such material retains excellent superhydrophobicity even after mechanical damages and soaking in 0.1 M strong acid/alkali and 3.5 wt% saline for 3 h. After enduring various tests, including ultrasonic vibrations, continuous solid impacts, extreme thermal conditions, and applications involving multiple limb deformations, the SCNCT still remains capable of stably outputting signals. Importantly, the SCNCT, equipped with a multi-dimensional interlocking structure, reliably monitors the full-range human behaviors across various conditions—wet environments, underwater, and even in simulated seawater. This work offers a simple and practical solution for developing highly reliable strain sensors with a response that is stable in extremely wet environments.