Strain sensors have a wide range of applications in the biomedical, structural, automotive, industrial and environmental sectors. The primary mechanism of existing strain sensors generally involves the conversion of external mechanical stimuli, such as physical deformations, into electrical signals. The intrinsic fluorescence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which exhibits exceptional photostability, near-infrared (NIR) material-penetrating emission, and microstrain sensitivity, makes them ideal candidates for a variety strain sensing applications. Using novel spectroscopy and microscopy approaches, this talk features our recent advances in the development of strain sensing bulk materials with encapsulated SWCNTs. In particular, we have created an electrospun microfibrous textile with NIR fluorescent SWCNTs. The novel optical material responds in real-time to bulk strain deformations up to 12% via shifts in the NIR fluorescence peaks of the encapsulated SWCNTs. We demonstrate reversibility and robustness of the sensing textile.
