Engineering Microstructure-Sensitized Paper-Based Flexible Tactile Sensor with Wide Pressure Range and High Sensitivity

With the widespread adoption of the Internet of Things and wearable technology, flexible tactile sensors—serving as core components for detecting external mechanical signals—have become a key supporting technology across numerous fields. Piezoresistive flexible tactile sensors offer advantages such as simple structure, high sensitivity, and ease of integration. Paper-based sensing materials sensitized with nanomaterials are simple to prepare and low-cost, making them suitable candidates for tactile sensor fabrication. However, paper-based tactile sensors typically cannot simultaneously achieve a wide detection range and high sensitivity. This paper presents an engineered microstructure-sensitized flexible tactile sensor based on toilet paper/silver nanowires (AgNWs). This study integrates the structural advantages of engineered polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microstructures with the synergistic effects of toilet paper/silver nanowires (AgNWs) to construct a high-performance flexible sensing system. The device exhibits a wide pressure detection range (6.85–273.96 kPa), high sensitivity (39,570 kPa−1), response and recovery times on the order of hundreds of milliseconds, and stable operation over approximately 10,000 cycles. This sensor demonstrates promising application potential in wearable biosensing, health monitoring, and related fields.