Multi-Functional Sa/Ato@Tio 2  Whisker Aerogels Enabled Wearable Electronics

Abstract

Ultralight and flexible aerogel sensors have garnered significant interest, yet challenges persist in developing their high elasticity and exceptional piezoresistive properties. In this work, laminated porous composite aerogel has been successfully prepared by a composite of sodium alginate (SA) and antimony-doped SnO2 coated titanium dioxide whisker (ATO@TiO2) via directional freezing technique. The incorporation of small amounts of ATO@TiO2 whiskers not only imparts a light-colored appearance to the aerogel, but also enhances its electrical conductivity and thermal insulation. The resulting sodium alginate (SA) and ATO@TiO2 (SAT) aerogel demonstrates lightweight properties and high compressive strength. The assembled SAT aerogel sensor exhibits high sensitivity within 1.0 kPa (225 kPa-1, 17.86 kPa-1) and maintains excellent fatigue resistance even over 1000 cycles. The temperature-responsive properties of SAT aerogels are sufficient for their continued operation in high-temperature environments (i.e., 100 °C). More importantly, SAT piezoresistive sensors facilitate real-time monitoring and human-computer interactive activities related to human movement and health, showcasing significant potential in diverse fields.

Keywords: Sodium alginate, aerogel, light color, piezoresistive sensor, thermal insulation.