A graphene fibriform responsor for sensing heat, humidity, and mechanical changes

Controllable and sensitive perception of environmental changes is essential for the development of smart material and device systems. Herein, a multi-stimuli sensitive responsor has been fabricated on the base of the established double-helix core-sheath graphene-based microfibers (GFs). By combining the tunable conductivity and mechanical robustness of GF coated with graphitic carbon nitride (GF@GCN), a fibriform smart environmental responsor (SER) is prepared by water-assisted GFs-twisting strategy, which can accordingly present conductive state-dependent current responses upon exposure to a variety of stimuli. More importantly, this SER exhibits high current response to small perturbations induced by temperature variations, mechanical interactions, and relative humidity changes, thereby achieving an environmental perceptibility. Based on this finding, a multi-functional respiratory monitor has been built under the stimuli of the human breath. A fibriform environmental responsor is fabricated on double-helix graphene-based microfibers, and exhibits selective sensitivity towards tiny perturbations of temperature, mechanical force, and humidity. The responsor is capable of recognizing various types of stimuli, and therefore may find applications in environmental or human body monitoring devices.