Flexible and transparent capacitive pressure sensor with patterned microstructured composite rubber dielectric for wearable touch keyboard application

The development of pressure sensors with highly sensitivity, fast response and facile fabrication technique is desirable for wearable electronics. Here, we successfully fabricated a flexible transparent capacitive pressure sensor based on patterned microstructured silver nanowires (AgNWs)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite dielectrics. Compared with the pure PDMS dielectric layer with planar structures, the patterned microstructured sensor exhibits a higher sensitivity (0.831 kPa⁻¹, <0.5 kPa), a lower detection limit, good stability and durability. The enhanced sensing mechanism about the conductive filler content and the patterned microstructures has also been discussed. A 5×5 sensor array was then fabricated to be used as flexible and transparent wearable touch keyboards systems. The fabricated pressure sensor has great potential in the future electronic skin area.