Flexible silver nanowire dry electrodes for long-term electrocardiographic monitoring

Electrocardiogram (ECG) can reflect the function of human heart in real time and is of great significance in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. One of the biggest challenges of existing ECG electrodes is the incompatibility between user experience and long-term monitoring. In this study, we developed an easily fabricated, flexible, biocompatible, gel-free silver nanowires (AgNW)/polyvinyl butyral (PVB)/hydrophilic polyurethane (PU) sponge (AgPHPUS) ECG electrode, which can be used for long-term ECG monitoring and avoid skin irritation. Furthermore, the electrodes, which incorporate fractal-based conductive patterns into skin-friendly elastomers, maintain excellent mechanical and electrical stability within the limits of human skin stretching. Most importantly, the ECG signal collected by the AgPHPUS electrodes during long-term and repeated use is as accurate as that collected by the commercial Ag/AgCl electrodes. All these indicate that the new electrode can replace traditional electrode for long-term ECG monitoring.