Highly stretchable polymer composite microtube chemical sensors produced by the meniscus-guided approach

Highly stretchable polymer composite microtubes of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polypyrrole (PMMA/PPy) were produced as a microarch shape by a meniscus-guided approach using colloidal solutions of the composite polymers. The polymer composite (PMMA/PPy) microarches show high stretchability up to 80% maintaining the electrical properties. Moreover, the microarches endure repeated stretching over 104 (9×102) cycles at 20% (80%) stretching without degradation of the electrical properties. The stretchable PMMA/PPy microtube arches are demonstrated as gas sensors with persistent sensitivities and response (recovery) times up to 80% stretching for various NH3 concentrations. These robust properties of the stretchable PMMA/PPy microtube arch sensors can be suitable for portable sensing devices operating under extreme stretching conductions to be used in research laboratories and chemical processing industries for chemical leak detection and environmental monitoring.