Bio-inspired single-step DNA-patterned APC-PTFE hybrid resistive strain sensor with high stretchability and stability for wearable electronics

Wearable strain sensors are increasingly sought after for applications in human-motion monitoring due to their stretchability, durability, broad strain range, and high sensitivity. This study introduces a novel, bio-inspired strain sensor featuring a DNA-shaped pattern formed through the Kirigami technique to enhance mechanical stretchability. Finite element (FE) simulations were employed to optimize the DNA-based geometry, utilizing the rule of mixtures (ROM) to assess effective material properties. The sensor was fabricated using AgPdCu (APC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hybrid electrodes on a stretchable polyurethane (PU) substrate, enabling accurate detection of both tensile and compressive strains. The resulting device exhibited key performance attributes including high stretchability, low relative resistance change (∼10 %), high sensitivity (gauge factor of 26.75 at 50 % strain), rapid response/recovery time (∼1 s), excellent stability over 10,000 cycles, wide operational range, minimal hysteresis, and high electrical conductivity (3.73 ×10⁴ S cm⁻¹). When applied to human skin, the sensor reliably monitored electrical signals and various body motions, underscoring its strong potential for wearable electronics in applications such as electronic skin and real-time human-motion tracking.