Intrinsically conducting polymer‐based fabric strain sensors

Fabric strain sensors based on intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been extensively studied recently owing to their ease of preparation, unique properties and many potential applications. Research on ICP-based fabric strain sensors, including fabrication, performance and applications of the sensors, is summarized and reviewed in this paper. The conductivity and morphology of ICP-coated fabrics can be easily adjusted by controlling the synthesis conditions, leading to sensors with varied performances. Moreover, the performances of the sensors can be controlled by various other choices, such as selecting the right fabric substrates, the appropriate stretching directions, etc., giving these sensors many potential applications. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry