Design Strategies and Emerging Applications of High‐Performance Flexible Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors

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Authors: Feng Luo, Artur Ciesielski, Paolo Samorı́
Cited by: 4
References: 148

Abstract

ABSTRACT Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors have become a keystone in emerging flexible and wearable electronic systems due to their mechanical compliance, high sensitivity, and scalable device architecture. These characteristics enabled rapid technological advances in continuous health monitoring, human–machine interfaces, soft robots, and electronic skin. Despite the considerable achievements, attaining simultaneously high sensitivity, stability, and reliability under realistic operating conditions remains challenging, requiring a unified materials‐ and structure‐driven design paradigm. To address these challenges, this review establishes a systematic, mechanism‐to‐application roadmap for high‐performance piezoresistive sensors. We discuss key performance metrics and fundamental sensing mechanisms, including contact resistance modulation, quantum tunneling, and percolation effects, which collectively govern the piezoresistive response. Linking these underlying physical mechanisms to macroscopic performance, we elaborate two central strategies to enhance performance: (i) materials engineering, including hybrid conductive composites, interfacial functionalization, porosity modulation, and graded multilayer designs; (ii) structural engineering like leveraging surface microstructuring, hierarchical layering, and three‐dimensional conductive networks. The synergistic coupling of these strategies is illustrated through representative devices enabling health diagnostics, tactile feedback, and intelligent robotic systems. Finally, we discuss challenges and propose future research directions, including multi‐modal sensing integration and on‐chip intelligence, which are expected to drive the next generation of flexible electronics.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials Dielectric materials and actuators Nanomaterials and Printing Technologies

Publication details

Journal / source
Advanced Functional Materials
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
36
Issue
47
Publication date
19 April 2026
Language
EN