Journal of Textile Research ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (05): 89-95.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20241204902

• Invited Column: Intelligent Fiber and Fabric Device • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress and prospects in fibers and fabric-based electrochemical sensing and aqueous batteries for smart textiles

LIANG Qimin1, YAN Zhuojun1, LI Changxin1, LIU Zhifeng2, HE Sisi1()   

  1. 1. College of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
    2. Department of Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, China
  • Received:2024-12-23 Revised:2025-01-28 Online:2025-05-15 Published:2025-06-18
  • Contact: HE Sisi E-mail:hesisi@hit.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Significance Medical health is essential for human life, and sweat's chemical substances reflect health conditions. Wearable electrochemical sensors based on sweat enable continuous, hospital-free health monitoring. Integrating sensors into fabrics maintains permeability, flexibility, and data accuracy. Reliable flexible power supply units, such as aqueous fabric batteries, ensure stable sensor operation. This integration fosters the development of convenient, comfortable, and non-invasive medical monitoring.
Progress Fabric, with its stretchability and permeability, is an ideal material for wearable electrochemical sensors to monitor sweat, detecting electrolytes, metabolites, and hormones. There are two methods for constructing electrochemical sweat-sensing fabrics: fiber-based, where sensors are seamlessly integrated into the fabric through techniques like weaving and sewing, offering flexibility, bendability, and high adaptability; and fabric-based, which is compatible with conventional processing techniques and suitable for mass production. Additionally, matching flexible power supply units is essential. Aqueous electrolytes are safer and more suitable for wearable batteries than organic ones, though they do not fully solve leakage problem. Gel-state electrolytes, with their safety and stretchability, offer unique advantages for flexible batteries. Future research should address the interface between gel-state electrolytes and electrodes for stable power supply in fabric-based sensors.
Conclusion and Prospect Reported studies have optimized material selection and fabrication methods, using fibers or fabrics as electrochemical sensing platforms to achieve a more comfortable, convenient, and non-invasive healthcare experience. In future development, the following five aspects should be emphasized: 1) The lightweight design of smart fabrics: developing manufacturing processes capable of efficient integration. 2) Sensitivity and selectivity of sensing fabrics: improving sensitivity and selectivity by optimizing materials, enhancing biomarker targeting, and refining manufacturing processes. 3) The energy density of flexible aqueous batteries: improving energy density by material innovation and electrolyte optimization. 4) Data accuracy: combining smart fabrics with AI to optimize data analysis. 5) Long-term stability: developing fiber-based substrates and active materials with strong interfacial interaction forces.

Key words: fiber device, smart fabric, electrochemical sensor, aqueous battery, flexible wearable, health management

CLC Number: 

  • O657.1

Fig.1

Timeline of wearable electrochemical sensors enabling integration with fabrics"

Tab.1

Materials and performance of fiber/fabric-based electrochemical sensors"

标志物 识别元件 灵敏度 稳定性 文献
乳酸 MIP 109.6 nA/lg[C(μmol/L)] >400次 [11]
钠离子 ISM 58.9 mV/lg[[Na+](mmol/L)] 24 h [15]
葡萄糖 MOF 425.9 μA/(mmol/L·cm2) 存储7 d [21]
尿酸 PtNP 3.4 nA/(μmol/L) 1 000次 [23]
IL-6 适配体 — — [25]
皮质醇 MIP — — [26]
钠离子 ISM 59.4 mV/lg[Na+] — [27]
钾离子 ISM 56.5 mV/lg[K+] — [27]
钾离子 ISM 66.0 mV/lg[K+] 存储28 d [28]
pH PANI 54.9 mV/lg[H+] — [29]

Tab.2

Materials and performance of fiber/fabric-based flexible aqueous batteries"

正极‖
负极		 电解
质盐		 放电
电压/V		 比容量/
(mA·h·g-1)		 容量保
持率/%		 循环
数		 文献
LMO‖PI Li2SO4 1.40 123.00 98.0 1 000 [31]
LMO‖LTO LiCl 2.40 61.03 72.6 500 [33]
PANI‖PANI NaTFSI 1.10 122.00 — — [35]
LMO‖LTO LiCl 1.50 85.70 92.0 100 [36]
PANI‖Zn ZnCl2-
NH4Cl		 1.15 119.41 95.4 200 [37]
PANI‖Zn ZnCl2-
NH4Cl		 1.20 141.90 88.1 2 000 [38]
MnO2‖Zn ZnSO4-
MnSO4		 1.32 393.00 83.9 1 300 [42]
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