ACS Nano: A Hierarchical Contact–Electrification Interface Based on Gradient Micro-/Nanostructured Hydrogel for Cardiovascular Disease Monitoring

Authors：

Zhenqiu Gao¹, Liming Zhang¹, Hao Lei², Yina Liu³, Haicheng Gu¹, Lingjie Xie³, Bohan Lu³, Haifeng Ji¹, Zhen Wen¹* & Xuhui Sun¹*

Institutions：

¹Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China

²Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, School of Advanced Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China.

³Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China.

Abstract：

Accurate monitoring of pulses is essential for assessing cardiovascular health. However, the specificity of the pulse wave depends on prestress applied to a wearable sensor. Here, we introduce a progressive contact area compensation strategy, which greatly extends the detection range of the sensor’s high-sensitivity region. It features a hierarchical flower surface structure and a gradient micro-/nanostructured hydrogel as the dielectric layer, compensating for the output decrease resulting from pressure hardening by gradually increasing the contact area between the contact–electrification interfaces. Consequently, the gradient micro-/nanostructured hydrogel, fabricated via electric field induction, enables the sensor’s high-sensitivity region to reach 1.1–52.2 kPa, a 5-fold improvement over that of comparable sensors. By integrating prestress adaptive units, signal processing modules, and a peak seeking algorithm, we develop a wireless wristband for continuous monitoring of cardiovascular status and blood pressure. Importantly, a preliminary 10 day blood pressure test on 22 volunteers showed an error margin of less than ±5 mm Hg, demonstrating its potential as a cardiovascular health product.

IF：

15.8

Link：

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c00313