Humidity Stable Thermoelectric Hybrid Materials Toward a Self-Powered Triple Sensing System

Abstract

Highly sensitive and humidity-resistive detection of the most common physical stimuli is of primary importance for practical application in real-time monitoring. Here, a simple yet effective strategy is reported to achieve a highly humidity-stable hybrid composite that enables simultaneous and accurate pressure and temperature sensing in a single sensor. The improved electronic performance is due to the enhanced planarity of poly (3,-4ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and charge transfer between PEDOT:polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by strong π–π interaction. The preferred electronic pathway induced by a robust morphology in the hybrid composite is responsible for the high humidity stability. This study also demonstrates that the sensor has tremendous potential for intelligent object identification with a high level of 97.78% accuracy. Together with the position-detection capability of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), advantages for potential industrial applications of the triple sensing system in terms of intelligent classification without seeing are foreseen.