Highly stable capacitive tactile sensors with tunable sensitivity facilitated by electrostatic interaction of layered double hydroxide, MXene, and Ag NWs

A capacitive tactile sensor (CTS) has been developed by assembling a double-sided patterned dielectric layer and novel electrodes. The patterned aluminium foil-supported electrode comprises zinc-aluminium layered double hydroxides (ZnAl-LDH), MXene, and Ag NWs via electrostatic interaction. This flexible device enables greater structural deformation, thereby enhancing sensitivity to a wide range of pressure. The sensitivity of the CTS can be customized to meet specific requirements by matching the microstructured electrodes with the patterned dielectric layer. An optimized sensor exhibits a sensitivity of 2.752 kPa −1 within 30 kPa, a response time of approximately 100 ms, and a wide detection range of 0–300 kPa. The strong physical interaction among the electrode materials ensures a reliable conductive network, ensuring the long-term stability of the sensor, even after 7500 loading and unloading cycles. Furthermore, the fabricated CTS device presents a promising prospect for the integration into wearable electronics, with the ability to effectively respond to both human activities and external physical stimuli.