Microporous MXene/Polyurethane Gels Derived from Iron Foam Templates for Ultra-High Stable Pressure Sensors and Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Designing high-performance conductive polymer composites with three-dimensional (3D) porous structures for pressure sensors is still challenging, limiting their applications in various settings. Herein, a facile route for fabricating 3D microporous MXene/polyurethane (MXene/PU) composite gels is developed via a template strategy. The iron foam acts as a template to provide a framework for the 3D network structure, while PU and MXene form a robust organic/inorganic network through inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The resulting MXene/PU composite gel, when configured into a piezoresistive sensor, exhibits exceptional performance characteristics with a large compressive range (2.6 MPa, 60% deformation), excellent cycling durability (over 12000 cycles within 1 day), long-term stability (maintaining functionality over 20 days with 20000 cycles), and high sensitivity (0.96144 kPa(-1)). Furthermore, the MXene/PU sensor demonstrates remarkable effectiveness in plantar health monitoring, showcasing its potential for applications in human health care and rehabilitation. Additionally, the applicability of MXene/PU gels in triboelectric nanogenerators has been explored, expanding the scope of their potential applications. Our findings highlight the versatility and promise of MXene/PU gels in the field of advanced wearable electronic sensors.