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Polymers
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Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors
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Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2025 | Viewed by 3900

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Linpeng Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of High Performance and Complex Manufacturing, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: flexible electronics; bioinspired functional surfaces; MEMS sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nature provides abundant inspiration for humans to develop advanced sensing technology. Tactile and vibratory sensory and auditory organs from creatures, encompassing the skin, whiskers, antennae, hair, lateral line system, campaniform, and slit sensillum, among others, have manifested in diverse forms, each possessing unique anatomical structures, sensory functions, and neuronal encoding or processing mechanisms. These organs have demonstrated proficiency in mechano-sensation related to mechanical stimuli, utilizing unique micro/nano-structures combined with special designed materials to interpret somatosensory information obtained from the environment. Based on that, bioinspired electronics have developed rapidly, among which e-skin is one of the typical representative hotspots.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together innovative developments in a broad spectrum of research on nature-inspired and polymer-based flexible electronics and sensors. We solicit papers including, but not limited to, new bionic architecture, special bioinspired functional surfaces (healing, superhydrophobic, antimicrobial, etc.), and bioinspired micro/nano-structures or polymer-based materials, as well as studies on wearable/medical or other corresponding applications. Also, both review articles and original research papers are welcome. 

Dr. Linpeng Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • flexible electronics
  • new bionic architecture
  • special bioinspired functional surfaces
  • bioinspired micro/nano-structures or polymer-based materials

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2861 KiB  
Article
Flexible Vibration Sensors with Omnidirectional Sensing Enabled by Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Fabrication
by Yaojia Mou, Cong Wang, Shilei Liu, Linpeng Liu and Ji’an Duan
Polymers 2025, 17(2), 211; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17020211 - 16 Jan 2025
Viewed by 778
Abstract
Vibration sensors are integral to a multitude of engineering applications, yet the development of low-cost, easily assembled devices remains a formidable challenge. This study presents a highly sensitive flexible vibration sensor, based on the piezoresistive effect, tailored for the detection of high-dynamic-range vibrations [...] Read more.
Vibration sensors are integral to a multitude of engineering applications, yet the development of low-cost, easily assembled devices remains a formidable challenge. This study presents a highly sensitive flexible vibration sensor, based on the piezoresistive effect, tailored for the detection of high-dynamic-range vibrations and accelerations. The sensor’s design incorporates a polylactic acid (PLA) housing with cavities and spherical recesses, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane, and electrodes that are positioned above. Employing femtosecond laser ablation and template transfer techniques, a parallel groove array is created within the flexible polymer sensing layer. This includes conductive pathways, and integrates stainless-steel balls as oscillators to further amplify the sensor’s sensitivity. The sensor’s performance is evaluated over a frequency range of 50 Hz to 400 Hz for vibrations and from 1 g to 5 g for accelerations, exhibiting a linear correlation coefficient of 0.92 between the sensor’s voltage output and acceleration. It demonstrates stable and accurate responses to vibration signals from devices such as drills and mobile phone ringtones, as well as robust responsiveness to omnidirectional and long-distance vibrations. The sensor’s simplicity in microstructure fabrication, ease of assembly, and low cost render it highly promising for applications in engineering machinery with rotating or vibrating components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors)
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14 pages, 2958 KiB  
Article
A Sustainable and Flexible Carbon Paper-Based Multifunctional Human–Machine Interface (HMI) Sensor
by Muhammad Muqeet Rehman, Maryam Khan, Hafiz Mohammad Mutee ur Rehman, Muhammad Saqib, Shahzad Iqbal, Sang Seop Lim, Kun Hyun Park and Woo Young Kim
Polymers 2025, 17(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17010098 - 1 Jan 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1079
Abstract
We have executed a cost-effective approach to produce a high-performance multifunctional human–machine interface (HMI) humidity sensor. The designed sensors were ecofriendly, flexible, and highly sensitive to variability in relative humidity (%RH) in the surroundings. In this study, we have introduced a humidity sensor [...] Read more.
We have executed a cost-effective approach to produce a high-performance multifunctional human–machine interface (HMI) humidity sensor. The designed sensors were ecofriendly, flexible, and highly sensitive to variability in relative humidity (%RH) in the surroundings. In this study, we have introduced a humidity sensor by using carbon paper (as both a substrate and sensing material) and a silver (Ag) conductive ink pen. The carbon paper-based humidity sensor was developed by using a simple handwriting approach and the resulting devices exhibited excellent results including fast response/recovery times (12/24 s), a wide sensing range (30 to 85%), small hysteresis (1.1%), high stability (1 month), and repeatability. This high-performance humidity response could be attributed to the highly porous, hydrophilic, and permeable nature of carbon paper. Besides these features, the sensor offered high flexibility (100 bending cycles across different radii) and adaptability for uses like breath monitoring (through mouth and nose), proximity sensing (from multiple distances ranging from 1 to 10 cm), and depicting Morse code. This research work is a significant step forward in humidity sensing technology and the sustainable future of electronic devices by using a cost-effective, fast, and simple fabrication technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors)
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10 pages, 1984 KiB  
Article
Ultra-Thin Highly Sensitive Electronic Skin for Temperature Monitoring
by Yuxin Wang, Yuan Meng, Jin Ning, Peike Wang, Yang Ye, Jingjing Luo, Ao Yin, Zhongqi Ren, Haipeng Liu, Xue Qi, Sisi He, Suzhu Yu and Jun Wei
Polymers 2024, 16(21), 2987; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16212987 - 24 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1237
Abstract
Electronic skin capable of reliable monitoring of human skin temperature is crucial for the advancement of non-invasive clinical biomonitoring, disease diagnosis, and health surveillance. Ultra-thin temperature sensors, with excellent mechanical flexibility and robustness, can conformably adhere to uneven skin surfaces, making them ideal [...] Read more.
Electronic skin capable of reliable monitoring of human skin temperature is crucial for the advancement of non-invasive clinical biomonitoring, disease diagnosis, and health surveillance. Ultra-thin temperature sensors, with excellent mechanical flexibility and robustness, can conformably adhere to uneven skin surfaces, making them ideal candidates. However, achieving high sensitivity often demands sacrificing flexibility, rendering the development of temperature sensors combining both qualities a challenging task. In this study, we utilized a low-cost drop-casting technique to print ultra-thin and lightweight (thickness: approximately 3 µm, weight: 0.61 mg) temperature sensors based on a combination of vanadium dioxide and PEDOT:PSS at room temperature and atmospheric conditions. These sensors exhibit high sensitivity (temperature coefficient of resistance: −5.11%/°C), rapid response and recovery times (0.36 s), and high-temperature accuracy (0.031 °C). Furthermore, they showcased remarkable durability in extreme bending conditions (bending radius = 400 µm), along with stable electrical performance over approximately 2400 bending cycles. This work offers a low-cost, simple, and scalable method for manufacturing ultra-thin and lightweight electronic skins for temperature monitoring, which seamlessly integrate exceptional temperature-measuring capabilities with optimal flexibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors)
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Review

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39 pages, 7787 KiB  
Review
Advances in Crack-Based Strain Sensors on Stretchable Polymeric Substrates: Crack Mechanisms, Geometrical Factors, and Functional Structures
by Chiwon Song, Haran Lee, Chan Park, Byeongjun Lee, Jungmin Kim, Cheoljeong Park, Chi Hung Lai and Seong J. Cho
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070941 - 30 Mar 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
This review focuses on deepening the structural understanding of crack-based strain sensors (CBSS) on stretchable and flexible polymeric substrates and promoting sensor performance optimization. CBSS are cutting-edge devices that purposely incorporate cracks into their functional elements, thereby achieving high sensitivity, wide working ranges, [...] Read more.
This review focuses on deepening the structural understanding of crack-based strain sensors (CBSS) on stretchable and flexible polymeric substrates and promoting sensor performance optimization. CBSS are cutting-edge devices that purposely incorporate cracks into their functional elements, thereby achieving high sensitivity, wide working ranges, and rapid response times. To optimize the performance of CBSS, systematic research on the structural characteristics of cracks is essential. This review comprehensively analyzes the key factors determining CBSS performance such as the crack mechanism, geometrical factors, and functional structures and proposes optimization strategies grounded in these insights. In addition, we explore the potential of numerical analysis and machine learning to offer novel perspectives for sensor optimization. Following this, we introduce various applications of CBSS. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future prospects in CBSS research, providing a roadmap for next-generation technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nature-Inspired and Polymers-Based Flexible Electronics and Sensors)
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