MXene-Based 3D-Nanomaterials Printed Wearable System: A Self-Powered Solution for Continuous Physiological Biosignal Monitoring

The development of sustainable, self-powered wearable sensing systems capable of recording physiological biosignals is pivotal for personalized health monitoring, but such devices have remained elusive. In this study, we introduce a novel, self-powered, MXene-based 3D-nanomaterials printed flexible wearable system tailored for continuous, real-time physiological biosignals monitoring. This integrated system combines power-efficient triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), highly sensitive pressure sensors, and multifunctional circuitry. MXene, a two-dimensional (2D) transition material known for its unique electronegative, conductive characteristics, and triboelectric properties, serves as the foundation of our device and is ideally suited for 3D-printing. We paired MXene with a skin-mimicking Styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) substrate, which boasts a positive triboelectric characteristic and exceptional stretchability. Our wearable, MXene-based, self-powered physiological sensing system delivers an output power of ~816.6 mW m−2 for its TENGs, with a sensor sensitivity of ~6.03 kPa−1, a low detection limit of ~9 Pa, and a rapid response time of ~80 ms. This makes it possible to continuously monitor the radial artery pulse (RAP) waveform in real-time, without reliance on external power sources. Furthermore, the system's capabilities extend to on-demand RAP monitoring and wireless data and power transmission via near-field communication. This development represents one of the inaugural wearable systems for real-time physiological biosignal monitoring, fully powered by human motion, showcasing its tremendous promise in the field.