The CNT/Jute Rope Composite Fabric Strain Sensor Based on the Twining-Cladding Weaved Structure for High-Performance Smart Carpet Applications

Flexible strain sensors have received increasing attention in the fields of human motion detection and personal health monitoring. Due to its lightweight, comfort, and long-term contact with humans, fabrics have been vigorously developed in strain sensors. However, compatibility between textiles and conductive materials remains challenging, hindering their sensitivity and stability in practical applications. This study proposes a composite fabric piezoresistive sensor based on unique twining-cladding weaved carbon nanotube (CNT)/jute rope structure, which shows high sensitivity (−1.93638 KPa $^{-{1}}\text {)}$ , fast response time (98 ms), excellent stability, and washability. The composite conductive fabric is prepared by dipping method, and the filaments on the jute rope surface adsorb a large number of CNTs, resulting in an outstanding sensitivity to light strain range. In addition, the twining-cladding structure provides a larger compression space for the device and a more sensitive response to pressure. The experimental results show that the device maintains favorable performance even under a compression pressure of 33.3 KPa for 5000 cycles. Finally, the sensors are employed to smart carpet monitor the trajectory of movement and tumble in real time, which has great potential applications in the fields of smart home and home-based care service facilities for the aged.