Weilong Zhou: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Yu Du: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Yingying Chen: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Congyuan Zhang: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Xiaowei Ning: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Heng Xie: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, People's Republic of China. hengxie@hust.edu.cn.
Ting Wu: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China. tingwu@hust.edu.cn.
Jinlian Hu: Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, 999077, People's Republic of China. jinliahu@cityu.edu.hk.
Jinping Qu: Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure and Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
Liquid leakage of pipeline networks not only results in considerable resource wastage but also leads to environmental pollution and ecological imbalance. In response to this global issue, a bioinspired superhydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane/carbon nanotubes/graphene nanosheets flexible strain sensor (TCGS) has been developed using a combination of micro-extrusion compression molding and surface modification for real-time wireless detection of liquid leakage. The TCGS utilizes the synergistic effects of Archimedean spiral crack arrays and micropores, which are inspired by the remarkable sensory capabilities of scorpions. This design achieves a sensitivity of 218.13 at a strain of 2%, which is an increase of 4300%. Additionally, it demonstrates exceptional durability by withstanding over 5000 usage cycles. The robust superhydrophobicity of the TCGS significantly enhances sensitivity and stability in detecting small-scale liquid leakage, enabling precise monitoring of liquid leakage across a wide range of sizes, velocities, and compositions while issuing prompt alerts. This provides critical early warnings for both industrial pipelines and potential liquid leakage scenarios in everyday life. The development and utilization of bioinspired ultrasensitive flexible strain sensors offer an innovative and effective solution for the early wireless detection of liquid leakage.
