Graded graphene fabric sensor detects pressure from air to underwater

A multilayer graphene/polymer fabric sensor achieved sensitive, wide-range pressure detection in both air and underwater, according to a study in the Journal of Materials Science. The device maintained a broad quasi-linear response from 0.1 to 200 kPa, with fitted sensitivities of 19.69 kPa⁻¹ in air and 37.90 kPa⁻¹ underwater. The results address a central challenge for flexible pressure sensors: combining high sensitivity with a large operating range while preserving operation in wet environments.

The sensor is built around a resistance-gradient architecture that combines conductive fabric layers with different sheet resistances and a porous insulating spacer. As pressure changes, conductive contacts evolve progressively across the structure. This staged response improves sensitivity at low pressures while delaying signal saturation at higher pressures, allowing the device to retain useful output across multiple pressure regimes rather than concentrating its response in a narrow range.

Its superhydrophobic design also contributes to stable sensing in dry and submerged conditions. The conductive network is described as water repellent, and the multilayer configuration allows the pressure response to be measured both in air and underwater. Underwater performance was stronger than the corresponding air performance: the reported fitted sensitivity reached 37.90 kPa⁻¹, compared with 19.69 kPa⁻¹ in air, over the same 0.1–200 kPa sensing interval. The abstract does not provide details about durability, response time, temperature effects, manufacturing reproducibility or performance under movement, so the breadth of the reported claims beyond the tested conditions remains unclear.

Researchers demonstrated that the sensor could monitor physiological signals and track motion underwater, indicating possible uses in wearable electronics and underwater sensing systems. These demonstrations show that the device can register both body-related signals and movement in a submerged environment, but they do not establish clinical performance or prove that the sensor is ready for medical or commercial deployment. The work instead presents a structural strategy for balancing sensitivity, working range and environmental adaptability in fabric-based piezoresistive sensors, with the graded resistance arrangement serving as the central design feature.

Subject of Research: A resistance-graded superhydrophobic graphene/polymer fabric pressure sensor tested in air and underwater.

Article Title: A flexible piezoresistive sensor based on superhydrophobic graphene/polymer composite fabrics for highly sensitive and wide-range pressure detection in complex environments

Article References: Shi, K., Tao, Y., Xu, X., Zhang, D., & Guo, Y. (2026). A flexible piezoresistive sensor based on superhydrophobic graphene/polymer composite fabrics for highly sensitive and wide-range pressure detection in complex environments. Journal of Materials Science, 61(40), 31040-31055. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-026-13623-w

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-026-13623-w

Keywords: flexible pressure sensors, graphene composites, piezoresistive sensing, superhydrophobic fabrics, underwater sensing, wearable electronics, resistance-gradient design, wide-range pressure detection, flexible, piezoresistive, sensor, based