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Bio-Inspired Janus All-Nanofiber Self-Powered Electronic Skins for Multifunctional, High-Resolution, Artifact-Free Human–Machine Interface

  • Kefan Fan
  • , Kun Li*
  • , Liuwenlin Han
  • , Yimin Wang
  • , Feng Gao
  • , Jue Cheng
  • , Junying Zhang*
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering
  • Beijing University of Chemical Technology
  • Applied Mechanics Lab
  • Shandong Institute of Nonmetallic Materials
  • Research Institute for Special Structures of Aeronautical Composites
  • Heterostructure Multi-interface EFS Bonding & Encapsulation Technology Joint Laboratory. The Aeronautical Science Key Lab for High Performance Electromagnetic Windows. Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Artificial skins combining sustainable tactile sensing and high-precision contextual interaction could transform medical devices and robotics yet developing body-integrated systems that are electrically stable, comfortable, and scalable remain challenging. We develop a heterogeneous Janus e-skin enabled by gel-fiber-mediated interlayer adhesion and co-design of materials, structure, and architecture. An engineered polyurethane ionogel (PUIL) coupled with an elastic SBS scaffold redistributes mechanical stress. Hydrogen bonding and ion-dipole interactions immobilize the liquid metal (LM) conductor to form a reconfigurable interface. Consequently, interleaved conductive, strain-insensitive nanofiber electrodes mitigate LM migration and leakage and exhibit exceptional long-term electrical stability, withstanding 400% strain with minimal resistance change (R/R0 ≈ 1.07). The bonding interlayer and hierarchically porous Janus membrane create a surface-energy gradient that promotes air permeability and unidirectional moisture transport, thereby improving comfort and cycling durability. Additionally, the Janus fibrous membrane mitigates strain/thermal/moisture-induced signal distortion, ensuring stable bioelectrical feedback and bolstering the robustness of machine-learning-assisted decoding in self-powered human–machine interactions. Remarkably, the e-skin exhibits excellent scalable bioinspired multifunctional protection, enabling seamless module integration for electromagnetic shielding and on-demand thermal management. This work paves the way for next-generation human–machine interfaces by demonstrating a holistic strategy that achieves wearer comfort, multifunctional integration, and multi-scenario AI interaction.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAdvanced Materials
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2026
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • bioinspired multifunctional protection
  • heterogeneous Janus e-skin
  • self-powered human–machine interaction
  • strain-insensitive nanofiber-electrode

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