Robust, Ultrathin, and Highly Sensitive Reduced Graphene Oxide/Silk Fibroin Wearable Sensors Responded to Temperature and Humidity for Physiological Detection

Abstract

Skin temperature and skin humidity are used for monitoring physiological processes, such as respiration. Despite advances in wearable temperature and humidity sensors, the fabrication of a durable and sensitive sensor for practical uses continues to pose a challenge. Here, we developed a durable, sensitive, and wearable temperature and humidity sensor. A reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/silk fibroin (SF) sensor was fabricated by employing a layer-by-layer technique and thermal reduction treatment. Compared with rGO, the elastic bending modulus of rGO/SF could be increased by up to 232%. Furthermore, an evaluation of the performance of an rGO/SF sensor showed that it had outstanding robustness: it could withstand repeatedly applied temperature and humidity loads and repeated bending. The developed rGO/SF sensor is promising for practical applications in healthcare and biomedical monitoring.