Sweat contains a broad range of critical biomarkers including ions, small molecules, and macromolecules that may indirectly or directly reflect the health status of the human body and thereby help track disease progression. Wearable sweat biosensors enable the collection and analysis of sweat in situ, achieving real-time, continuous, and noninvasive monitoring of human biochemical parameters at the molecular level. This review summarizes the physiological/pathological information of sweat and wearable sweat biosensors. First, the production of sweat pertaining to various electrolytes, metabolites, and proteins is described. Then, the compositions of the wearable sweat biosensors are summarized, and the design of each subsystem is introduced in detail. The latest applications of wearable sweat biosensors for outdoor, hospital, and family monitoring are highlighted. Finally, the review provides a summary and an outlook on the future developments and challenges of wearable sweat biosensors with the aim of advancing the field of wearable sweat monitoring technology.
| (1) | Sensing elements. The accurate detection of sweat on the skin surface demands rapid response, high sensitivity, great selectivity, and stability of the sensing module. Currently, the detection principles of the sensing module can be broadly classified into electrochemical and optical sensing [41] |
| (2) | Interconnection modules. The interconnection module of wearable sweat biosensors undertakes a crucial role between the sensing module and the signal processing module, owing to the fact that it is the essential component to mitigate mixing parameters and ensure high signal-to-noise ratio and effective signal transmission [52]. Researchers have tried various structures and preparation procedures to reduce the susceptibility of the interconnection modules to external factors such as stretching and bending [53]. There are also a variety of existing interconnection module designs, such as snake structures [54, 55], fish scale structures [28], multilayer 3D structures [56], and 3D noncoplanar bridge-island structures [57]. Therefore, the design of the interconnection modules has progressed from a pair of lines and spiral and serpentine structures to complex flower-like and basket-like structures, which have led to a breakthrough in the stretchability and flexibility of the interconnection modules [58] |
| (3) | Flexible substrates. A flexible substrate is a key element to wearable sensors, as it assumes a close, comfortable, and soft adhesion to the skin surface. A flexible substrate is usually required to possess good stretchability, good mechanical properties, breathability, and biocompatibility. To satisfy the requirements of flexible electronic devices, flexible substrate materials should be thin, flexible, and stretchable and have favorable insulation and corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and self-healing ability. Frequently available flexible substrates can mainly be classified as polymers, hydrogels, and cellulose. Various polymer films, including poly(styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene) rubber (SEBS) [59], polyethylene terephthalate (PET) [60], and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [61], have been widely used as substrates for electronic devices and flexible electrodes because of their excellent mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and thermal stability. Flexible substrates of hydrogels and aerogels are also widely employed in wearable biosensors due to their high flexibility, stretchability, and tunability [62]. In addition to polymer and hydrogel materials, cellulose-based substrates, such as paper-based or textile materials, are now being widely used in the preparation of wearable devices [63]. Paper-based substrates are of interest to scientists because of their cost-effectiveness, available applications, biocompatibility, and capillary effect [64]. Textiles represent a special class of flexible and stretchable material substrates, including cotton fabrics [65] and silk with excellent flexibility and deformability [66–68]. Due to the softness and curvature of the human surface, wearable sensors need to remain in seamless contact with the human surface during daily activity or movement; therefore, excellent stretchability is a vital parameter for flexible substrates [69]. Two strategies are commonly used to achieve stretchability in wearable sensors. The first approach is to bond thin conductive materials with low Young’s modulus directly to a flexible substrate. The second approach is to use intrinsically stretchable conductors, specifically by mixing conductive substances into a flexible substrate to provide great stretchability and conductivity. For example, Wang et al. modified a quaternary hydroxyethyl cellulose hydrogel layer (Young’s modulus: ~14.2 kPa) on a sodium lignosulfonate-borax hydrogel substrate (Young’s modulus: ~101.3 kPa) by a coating method, resulting in a hydrogel with stable sensing properties and excellent tensile properties [70]. Among commonly used polymeric substrates, polytetrafluoroethylene resin as a plasticizing additive can enable silicone substrates to withstand strains of up to 188% [71], while cross-linking polyvinyl alcohol with sodium borate has been reported to produce a highly stretchable, transparent conductive gel that can withstand strains of up to 700% [72], even though the stretching properties of the flexible substrate can be adjusted by filling it with some special materials, which may also affect other properties. Therefore, the design and synthesis of flexible materials with excellent stretchability, ductility, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility will remain a critical concern in the future |
| (4) | Data processing and transmission modules. Data processing and signal transmission involve extracting, transforming, analyzing, and integrating optical or electrical signals from biosensors and transmitting data from one electronic device to the other to be readable for the user [73]. A commonly used data processing element is the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), which allows efficient processing of data while maintaining the independence and selectivity of individual sensor operations [6]. The common transmission modules currently used in wearable devices are Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), and radio frequency identification (RFID). Bluetooth can communicate over a maximum distance of approximately 100 m and transmit more data than the other options and has superior advantages of being radiation-free, environmentally friendly, and user-friendly [74]. Another commonly used transmission technology is NFC, which operates at 13.56 MHz and has a communication distance of up to 20 cm [75]. Its maximum data transfer rate is much lower than the Bluetooth, but devices do not need to be paired in advance, and the connection between two NFC can be established within only 0.1 s. There is also a type of RFID technology, which relies on electromagnetic waves to transmit signals; typical RFID transmission time is extremely short, typically less than 100 milliseconds [72]. RFID with high-frequency capability can simultaneously verify and access multiple information profiles, which greatly facilitates transmission performance |
| (5) | Power modules. Wearable sweat biosensors based on electrochemical methods are the most commonly available models, thereby rendering the power supply an essential component. Currently, most developed wearable sensors rely largely on commercial batteries for uninterrupted power supply, but their bulk and surface areas are large [2]. Therefore, self-powered, rechargeable power supplies or power supply modules that attenuate the need for external power supply are becoming increasingly popular. Theoretically, the energy obtained from body heat, exercise, and sunlight is sufficient to power the wearable biosensors. Unfortunately, wearable sensors require a stable power source to work, yet most power modules used for self-powering are vulnerable to external factors such as changes in sunlight intensity, human motion intensity, and body heat emissions [76] |
| (6) | Common preparation methods. The popular preparation approaches for wearable sensors include photolithography and printing methods. Photolithography refers to the transfer of the pattern on the mask plate to the substrate with the help of photoresist under the action of light [39]. Common printing methods are inkjet printing [46], screen printing [30], and 3D printing [77]. Although photolithography is now relatively mature, its complex preparation process, high cost, and wasteful raw materials limit its application in large-area metal patterning. Therefore, with the evolution of preparation technology, several new technologies have been emerging. Inkjet printing is a contactless, pressure-free printing technology that does not require photolithography plates. Its printing accuracy can reach 20-30 microns, which can achieve high precision and high resolution, and it also has the advantages of fast speed, low cost, batch manufacturing, and flexible pattern shape design. With the rapid development of the electronics industry in recent years, environmental protection and cost considerations have promoted the development of screen printing. Screen printing is a mass printing method achieved by pressing ink through a patterned screen printing plate with a rubber squeegee. The resolution of screen printing is highly dependent on the fineness of the screen printing plate, but the substrate and the printing conductive ink are also important influencing factors. As a traditional flat printing technology, screen printing is widely used in the field of flexible electronics due to its simplicity, ease of patterned printing, and low cost. 3D printing is an emerging technology, also known as additive manufacturing. It builds objects by printing layer by layer using various bondable materials based on digital models. Commonly used printing materials are generally classified into metallic materials (e.g., silver nanowires) and nonmetallic materials (photosensitive resins). Metallic materials are mainly applied to 3D printing with sintering and melting as the manufacturing principle such as selective laser sintering (SLS) and selective laser melting (SLM). Nonmetallic materials are widely adopted in printing methods such as direct ink writing (DIW) and fused deposition molding (FDM). The sensor prepared by 3D printing has more accurate microstructure and better performance, filling the gap between traditional technologies such as coating and screen printing in the field of processing complex 3D structures, but it also has some disadvantages, such as the inability to achieve fine processing, limited types of printing materials, and high energy consumption |
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |