A novel highly fold-tolerant Edgewo-rthia chrysantha Lindi-derived substrate for flexible pressure sensors

Cellulose-based composites with superior mechanical and electrical properties are highly desirable as the sustainable and multifunctional substrate for flexible electronics. However, the lack of counterparts with considerable mechanical robustness has been one of the challenges that has hindered their practical application. Here, cellulose derived from an underutilized source of biomass (Edgewo-rthia chrysantha Lindi) was composited with highly conductive silver nanowires (AgNWs) through a papermaking-like process. Benefiting from the interactions between the cellulose and AgNWs, including hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, the composite presented superb electrical conductivity (> 27,000 S/m) and flexibility (>= 1110 folding cycles). By employing it as the substrate of flexible pressure sensors through layer-by-layer assembly, improved sensitivity (gauge factor = 846.4), rapid response (0.44 s), and excellent stability (>= 2000 folding cycles) were demonstrated. Impressively, this novel FPS could discern human motions, including finger bending, elbow flexing, speaking, and pulse, suggesting its great potential in emerging flexible electronics.