A stretchable and highly sensitive chemical sensor using multilayered network of polyurethane nanofibres with self-assembled reduced graphene oxide

Stretchable chemical sensors for detection of gases/vapours are of great interest for wearable applications in healthcare and environmental safety. Here, we demonstrate a simple but effective approach based on layering electro-spun elastomeric polyurethane (PU) nanofibres to produce stretchable chemically responsive nanohybrids of PU nanofibres with self-assembled reducedgraphene oxide (R-GO). The study using a chemiresistive structure reveals the positive effects of layering the elastomeric fibres of R-GO/PU nanohybrids on both stretching and sensing capabilities. The R-GO/PU devices layered four and five times own excellent sensitivity towards NO₂ (50 ppb-5 ppm at room temperature) as well as mechanical sustainability under static and cyclic stretching tests up to 50% of strain. These stretchable chemiresistors based on multilayering of hybrid fibre network of an elastomer and 2D sensing nanomaterials provides a good premise for wearable chemical sensing applications.