Bifunctional PVDF/MXene membranes with high piezoelectric sensitivity and near infrared photothermal antibacterial efficacy toward wearable human activity monitoring

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: Not specified

• Effect Size: 16% improvement in β-phase content (80.3% to 93.3%)

• Primary Outcome: Bifunctional membrane with 0.502 V/N piezoelectric sensitivity and >99% antibacterial efficacy

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Sensitivity: 0.502 V/N; Temperature rise to ~60°C within 60 seconds

• Confidence Interval: Not clearly reported

Clinical Application

Promising for clinical translation but requires further validation studies and regulatory approval Relevant to TGA medical device regulations; potential applications in remote patient monitoring aligned with Australian digital health initiatives Patients requiring continuous health monitoring, particularly those at risk of device-associated infections

Abstract

In the realm of wearable health monitoring, establishing a reliable interface that ensures both high-fidelity sensing and long-term biological safety remains a critical challenge, particularly due to the risk of bacterial infection caused by sweat accumulation at the device-skin contact. Herein, we address this issue by developing a scenario-driven, bifunctional PVDF/MXene nanofibrous membrane that integrates robust piezoelectric performance with on-demand photothermal antibacterial capability. In this design, MXene nanosheets function simultaneously as nucleating agents to boost the electroactive β-phase content of PVDF from 80.3% to 93.3% and as efficient near-infrared (NIR) photothermal agents. The optimized membrane exhibits a superior piezoelectric sensitivity of 0.502 V/N, enabling the precise detection of diverse human activities ranging from subtle pulse waveforms to vigorous jumping motions, and motion-triggered Morse code communication. Crucially, addressing the hygiene concerns of reusable wearables, the membrane achieves rapid, non-contact sterilization during off-wear intervals. Under safe NIR irradiation (0.3 W cm-2), the surface temperature rises to ∼60 °C within 60 s, achieving an antibacterial efficacy of >99% against S. aureus and E. coli. Combined with excellent in vitro cytocompatibility, this work provides a "one-structure, dual-function" solution for constructing hygienic, high-performance electronic skins.

References

1. 1.Hu, Z., Wu, F., Su, H., Wang, W., He, L., Long, Y., Ma, Z., Wu, M., Wang, Y., Xu, R., Wu, L., Khan, A. U., Liang, H., Xiong, Y., Huang, X., Dong, Y., Yin, H., & Lu, D. (2026). Bifunctional PVDF/MXene membranes with high piezoelectric sensitivity and near infrared photothermal antibacterial efficacy toward wearable human activity monitoring. Nanoscale. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr04913j