Pursuing Superhydrophobic Flexible Strain Sensors: From Design to Applications

Abstract

Flexible strain sensors are being increasingly applied as wearable electronic materials owing to their functional characteristics (e.g., light weight, stretchability, wearability), which highlight their enormous potential in health monitoring and medical care. However, challenges related to signal distortion and corrosion risks arise when they are used under extreme or harsh conditions. Superhydrophobic flexible strain sensors combine the water‐repellent, anticorrosion, and anti‐fouling features of the superhydrophobic coating with the high ductility and high sensitivity of the flexible strain sensor, thereby broadening the application scope of strain sensors, especially for underwater wearable sensing. However, the underwater sensing applications of superhydrophobic flexible strain sensors have not yet been thoroughly summarized. This review presents the key performance parameters and design strategies of superhydrophobic flexible strain sensors, with an emphasis on the diverse applications for underwater sensing.