Mxene-based sensor devices

Abstract

Provided are sensors comprising one or both of MXene-coated fibers and MXene-coated yarns. The MXene-coated yarns can be utilized for various types of smart textile applications where conductivity is required. These include but are not limited to sensors (e.g. pressure, strain, moisture, and temperature), supercapacitors, triboelectric generators, antennas, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding textiles.

1 . A pressure sensor, comprising:
 a first electrode;   a second electrode; and   a dielectric material disposed so as to place the first electrode into electrical isolation from the second electrode,   at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprising (a) a substrate fiber, the substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates, (b) a yarn comprising a plurality of coating fibers, each coating fiber comprising a substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates, (c) a yarn comprising a plurality of coating fibers, each coating fiber comprising a substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates and the yarn defining an outer surface coated with a second plurality of MXene particulates, or (d) a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers, the yarn defining an outer surface coated with a second plurality of MXene particulates.   
     
     
         2 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is characterized as being a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, or a nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         3 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein a substrate fiber comprises a synthetic material or a natural material. 
     
     
         4 . The pressure sensor of  claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of MXene particulates has an average particle size in the range of from about 100 to about 1000 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of MXene particulates comprises two different MXene materials. 
     
     
         6 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of MXene particulates defines a unimodal particle size distribution. 
     
     
         7 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of MXene particulates defines a multimodal particle size distribution. 
     
     
         8 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of MXene particulates are attached to the substrate fiber by electrostatic interaction. 
     
     
         9 . The pressure sensor yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of MXene particulates has an average particle size in the range of from about 500 to about 15,000 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of MXene particulates comprises two different MXene materials. 
     
     
         11 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of MXene particulates defines a unimodal particle size distribution. 
     
     
         12 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of MXene particulates are attached to the outer surface of the yarn by electrostatic interaction. 
     
     
         13 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn is characterized as having a MXene loading of from about 0.1 to about 2.0 mg/cm. 
     
     
         14 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn is characterized as having a MXene mass loading of from about 10 to about 75 wt %. 
     
     
         15 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn is characterized as having a conductivity of from about 30 to about 150 S/cm. 
     
     
         16 . The pressure sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is characterized as having a gauge factor of from about 0.1 to about 10. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising operating a pressure sensor according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A strain sensor, comprising:
 a sensor region,   the sensor region comprising (a) a substrate fiber, the substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates, (b) a yarn comprising a plurality of coating fibers, each coating fiber comprising a substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates, (c) a yarn comprising a plurality of coating fibers, each coating fiber comprising a substrate fiber defining an outer surface coated with a first plurality of MXene particulates and the yarn defining an outer surface coated with a second plurality of MXene particulates, or (d) a yarn comprising a plurality of fibers, the yarn defining an outer surface coated with a second plurality of MXene particulates; and   a charge collector configured to monitor a signal of the sensor region related to a strain experienced by the panel.   
     
     
         19 . The strain sensor according to  claim 18 , the sensor region being characterized as being a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, or a nonwoven fabric. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising operating a pressure sensor according to  claim 1 .