Bovine rumen inspired multiple-nested porous aerogel pressure sensor with high sensitivity and wide detection range

Three-dimensional (3D) porous composite materials are widely recognized as reliable candidates for flexible pressure sensors due to their light weight, high strength, and ease of processing. Their sensing performance is closely related to changes in the contact area of internal pore walls. However, achieving both a wide detection range and high sensitivity remains a major challenge. In this study, inspired by the hierarchical pore structure of the bovine rumen, a high-performance pressure sensor was developed using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), graphene (G), and MXene. By adjusting component ratios and combining freeze-drying with vacuum dip-coating, a TPU/G/MXene aerogel with multiple-nested porous structure (MNPS) was fabricated. Under pressure, the multiple-nested pores collapse in sequence from micro to macro scale, activating contact points and amplifying resistance changes. This mechanism enables the 3.5 %TPU/1.5 %G/MXene sensor to simultaneously achieve high sensitivity and a broad detection range. The sensor exhibits excellent elasticity (stable under 80 % strain), a wide sensing range (0–58 kPa), high sensitivity (6.993 kPa⁻¹ in the 0–123.5 Pa range), fast response time (90 ms), and strong durability (over 2000 cycles). It effectively monitors various human motions, including finger bending, swallowing, and walking, and can also be mounted on drones to monitor flight conditions such as wind speed. These features demonstrate strong potential in wearable electronics, human-machine interfaces, and aerospace applications. This work provides a new approach for developing advanced flexible pressure sensors with enhanced comprehensive performance.