Fully Printed, Single-Layer MXene/AgNW/PVP Composite Arrays for Structurally Decoupled Dual-Modal Tactile Perception

Abstract

Addressing severe signal crosstalk, complex multi-layer stacking, and weak film-substrate interfacial adhesion remains a critical bottleneck for the practical deployment of flexible multimodal electronic skins. Herein, we report the rational design and scalable, fully printed fabrication of a structurally decoupled, single-layer 4 × 6 dual-modal tactile sensing array. By precisely tailoring the physical rheology and spatial dispersion of an MXene/AgNW/PVP composite ink, the macromolecular PVP network provides robust interfacial adhesion to the flexible substrate and steric stabilization against nanomaterial agglomeration. Concurrently, the 1D AgNWs bridge the 2D MXene flakes to construct a resilient intercalated network, completely eradicating the drying-induced microcracking typical of pristine MXene films. This interface-engineered composite enables a single continuous electrode layer to function simultaneously as a capacitive pressure-sensing matrix and an intrinsic thermistor. The sensor delivers a pressure sensitivity of 1.1 kPa–1 in the 0–100 kPa range, a linear temperature sensitivity of 0.18% °C–1, a response time of 35 ms, and stable operation over 10,000 loading cycles. By combining the physical microstructural isolation of the solid array units with a bivariate linear-regression decoupling algorithm, the inter-modal force-thermal cross-interference is reduced to below 1%. Using the decoupled spatial matrices, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model recognizes complex thermo-mechanical targets with an accuracy of 96.8%. Furthermore, the conformable array enables continuous, noninvasive epidermal pulse-wave and temperature monitoring, providing an integrated material-to-system approach for smart wearable healthcare and artificial prosthetics.