MXene/MWCNT electronic fabric with enhanced mechanical robustness on humidity sensing for real-time respiration monitoring

Humidity sensing-based wearable respiration monitoring systems have promising application prospects in providing the critical health information. Currently, due to the inherent flexibility and compatibility, fabric-based wearables have attracted tremendous interest in humidity sensing. Herein, we proposed a humidity sensor made from fabric coated with MXene and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). The sensor showed 265% response at 90% relative humidity (RH) and great response stability under deformation. The humidity response of MXene/MWCNT fabric (MC-fabric) sensor only varied 7% under stretch, which is greatly alleviated compared with pristine MXene fabric sensor (35% under stretch). The MC-fabric sensor, integrated into a mask, can accurately identify diverse human respiration patterns despite the deformation caused by motions. This work not only offers a facile modification strategy to enhance the sensing robustness under deformation, but also provides a feasible method for real-time breath analysis. • MXene and MWCNT was assembled on fabric for humidity detection. • The humidity response stability under deformation was improved by introduced MWCNT. • A smart mask was designed to implement wireless real-time respiration monitoring. • The electronic fabric can accurately track respiration under motion states.