Fuente: Journal of applied polymer Lugar: RESEARCH ARTICLE Cyclic pulsating pressure drives continuous densification and reconstruction of conductive networks in TPU/CNT composites. Polymer chains and CNTs rearrange into a compact architecture with enhanced interfacial hydrogen bonding, reducing tunneling barriers and improving load transfer. The synergistic structural and interfacial regulation enables simultaneous high conductivity, large stretchability, and stable electromechanical sensing performance.

ABSTRACT
Flexible strain sensors hold great potential for wearable electronics, electronic skin, and intelligent human–machine interfaces, but achieving both high sensitivity and sufficient stretchability under repeated deformations remains a critical challenge. Here, we present a cyclic pulsating pressure molding strategy that enables the formation of a dense and stable conductive network while reinforcing interfacial coupling. This approach markedly enhances the composite performance, yielding an electrical conductivity of 0.41 S·cm−1 and an elongation at break of 256%, corresponding to increases of 64% and 34.7% compared with conventional constant-pressure molded samples. Under strains up to 256%, the sensor delivers a relative resistance change of 4.8 × 104% (GF ≈ 550). It also maintains signal fluctuations within ±5% after 1000 cycles at 1% strain and achieves high-fidelity strain detection across complex motion states, demonstrating reliable cyclic stability and adaptability. Overall, cyclic pulsating pressure processing offers a simple and universal route to high-performance flexible resistive strain sensors and provides a pathway for their scalable application in wearable electronics, electronic skin, and human–machine interfaces.