Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring

The rapidly evolving field of functional yarns has garnered substantial research attention due to their exceptional potential in enabling next-generation electronic textiles for wearable health monitoring, human–machine interfaces, and soft robotics. Despite notable advancements, the development of...

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Main Authors: Wenjing Fan, Cheng Li, Bingping Yu, Te Liang, Junrui Li, Dapeng Wei, Keyu Meng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Biomimetics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/304
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author Wenjing Fan
Cheng Li
Bingping Yu
Te Liang
Junrui Li
Dapeng Wei
Keyu Meng
author_facet Wenjing Fan
Cheng Li
Bingping Yu
Te Liang
Junrui Li
Dapeng Wei
Keyu Meng
author_sort Wenjing Fan
collection DOAJ
description The rapidly evolving field of functional yarns has garnered substantial research attention due to their exceptional potential in enabling next-generation electronic textiles for wearable health monitoring, human–machine interfaces, and soft robotics. Despite notable advancements, the development of yarn-based strain sensors that simultaneously achieve high flexibility, stretchability, superior comfort, extended operational stability, and exceptional electrical performance remains a critical challenge, hindered by material limitations and structural design constraints. Here, we present a bioinspired, hierarchically structured core-sheath yarn sensor (CSSYS) engineered through an efficient dip-coating process, which synergistically integrates the two-dimensional conductive MXene nanosheets and one-dimensional silver nanowires (AgNWs). Furthermore, the sensor is encapsulated using a yarn-based protective layer, which not only preserves its inherent flexibility and wearability but also effectively mitigates oxidative degradation of the sensitive materials, thereby significantly enhancing long-term durability. Drawing inspiration from the natural architecture of plant stems—where the inner core provides structural integrity while a flexible outer sheath ensures adaptive protection—the CSSYS exhibits outstanding mechanical and electrical performance, including an ultralow strain detection limit (0.05%), an ultrahigh gauge factor (up to 744.45), rapid response kinetics (80 ms), a broad sensing range (0–230% strain), and exceptional cyclic stability (>20,000 cycles). These remarkable characteristics enable the CSSYS to precisely capture a broad spectrum of physiological signals, ranging from subtle arterial pulsations and respiratory rhythms to large-scale joint movements, demonstrating its immense potential for next-generation wearable health monitoring systems.
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spelling doaj-art-23ce33f8fb914fdaa1c63ec5b0b0a9f02025-08-20T03:47:52ZengMDPI AGBiomimetics2313-76732025-05-0110530410.3390/biomimetics10050304Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health MonitoringWenjing Fan0Cheng Li1Bingping Yu2Te Liang3Junrui Li4Dapeng Wei5Keyu Meng6School of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaCollege of Metrology Measurement and Instrument, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, ChinaSchool of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Generic Technology and System of Service Robots, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, ChinaSchool of Electronic and Information Engineering, Changchun University, Changchun 130022, ChinaThe rapidly evolving field of functional yarns has garnered substantial research attention due to their exceptional potential in enabling next-generation electronic textiles for wearable health monitoring, human–machine interfaces, and soft robotics. Despite notable advancements, the development of yarn-based strain sensors that simultaneously achieve high flexibility, stretchability, superior comfort, extended operational stability, and exceptional electrical performance remains a critical challenge, hindered by material limitations and structural design constraints. Here, we present a bioinspired, hierarchically structured core-sheath yarn sensor (CSSYS) engineered through an efficient dip-coating process, which synergistically integrates the two-dimensional conductive MXene nanosheets and one-dimensional silver nanowires (AgNWs). Furthermore, the sensor is encapsulated using a yarn-based protective layer, which not only preserves its inherent flexibility and wearability but also effectively mitigates oxidative degradation of the sensitive materials, thereby significantly enhancing long-term durability. Drawing inspiration from the natural architecture of plant stems—where the inner core provides structural integrity while a flexible outer sheath ensures adaptive protection—the CSSYS exhibits outstanding mechanical and electrical performance, including an ultralow strain detection limit (0.05%), an ultrahigh gauge factor (up to 744.45), rapid response kinetics (80 ms), a broad sensing range (0–230% strain), and exceptional cyclic stability (>20,000 cycles). These remarkable characteristics enable the CSSYS to precisely capture a broad spectrum of physiological signals, ranging from subtle arterial pulsations and respiratory rhythms to large-scale joint movements, demonstrating its immense potential for next-generation wearable health monitoring systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/304functional yarnsstrain sensorMXenewearable electronicshealth monitoring
spellingShingle Wenjing Fan
Cheng Li
Bingping Yu
Te Liang
Junrui Li
Dapeng Wei
Keyu Meng
Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
Biomimetics
functional yarns
strain sensor
MXene
wearable electronics
health monitoring
title Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
title_full Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
title_fullStr Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
title_full_unstemmed Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
title_short Core-Sheath Structured Yarn for Biomechanical Sensing in Health Monitoring
title_sort core sheath structured yarn for biomechanical sensing in health monitoring
topic functional yarns
strain sensor
MXene
wearable electronics
health monitoring
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-7673/10/5/304
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AT teliang coresheathstructuredyarnforbiomechanicalsensinginhealthmonitoring
AT junruili coresheathstructuredyarnforbiomechanicalsensinginhealthmonitoring
AT dapengwei coresheathstructuredyarnforbiomechanicalsensinginhealthmonitoring
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