Executive Summary

Wrinkled layer sensors based on silver nanowires (AgNWs) are transforming wearable electronics, health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and soft robotics by enabling devices that conform to complex surfaces and withstand large deformations. This white paper explores the fabrication, working principles, and applications of wrinkled AgNW sensors. It also highlights the unique wrinkle morphology that improves sensor performance by increasing surface area and accommodating strain. Key sensor types such as piezoresistive, capacitive, and triboelectric devices are also demonstrated here. Despite the significant progress, challenges still remain in improving adhesion between AgNWs and elastomer substrates, long-term environmental stability, and achieving uniform multidirectional stretchability. Addressing these issues through advanced material engineering and fabrication methods will be crucial to unlocking the full potential of wrinkled AgNW sensors.

1. Introduction

Flexible and stretchable electronic devices are widely desirable which has led to discoveries of materials that can work under high strains without compromising performance. These electronic devices can be electronic wearables or soft electronic devices that are required to be attached to deformed surfaces like skin and should withstand large deformations. Generally, materials with high conductivity, such as metals incorporated with elastomers are used for such purposes. Silver nanowires (AgNWs) have emerged as promising materials due to their high conductivity and mechanical properties. The wrinkled structures are formed when an elastomeric substrate is coated with a rigid or stiff thin layer and the system experiences compressive stress or the removal of tensile stress. Stretchable electrodes made with wrinkled AgNWs have shown high stretchability and are widely used in chemical and biological sensors with increased electrochemical signal and analytical sensitivity.

2. Mechanical Limitations in Flexible Sensors

Flexible sensors are often used in wearables, robotics, and health monitoring, where these sensors are required to have accuracy, durability and stretchability as motion is required. Many high-performance flexible strain sensors are made by the deposition of a rigid functional film, like metal or conductive nanomaterials, coated on a stretchable substrate like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicone rubber (Ecoflex), and polyurethane (PU). But these sensors face a big challenge in reliability and durability. The rigid film and flexible substrate have distinct mechanical properties, where the rigid films can tolerate very small deformations while the flexible substrate has wide stretchability. This creates interfacial failure and buckle delamination.

3. AgNW Wrinkled Structures: A Solution for Durability and Sensitivity

4. Fabrication Technique for Wrinkled AgNW Sensors

Wrinkles are formed because the layers of the flexible substrate such as PDMS and AgNWs have different mechanical properties.

5. Sensors Employing Wrinkled Electrodes

6. Emerging Applications of Wrinkled AgNW Flexible Sensors

6.1. Wearable Electronics

Wrinkled AgNW sensors operate primarily as pressure sensors that detect deformation from body movements in wearable electronics. In a study, a pressure sensor based on AgNW was effectively utilized for real-time monitoring of human respiration. While flexible pressure sensors have seen widespread use in wearable health-monitoring systems, the lack of air impermeability has limited their practical implementation in continuous physiological detection. The pressure sensor developed had an air-permeable design, offering prolonged monitoring of human physiological signals such as respiration. The breathable sensor was integrated into a smart mask, making it useful for tracking respiratory activity. Specifically, when the sensor is attached to the inner surface of a mask, it detected the mechanical force of breathing in real time.

6.2. Health Monitoring

The importance of real-time monitoring of human movement is becoming increasingly prominent due to rising personal health concerns. Wrinkled AgNW sensors, due to their high flexibility and high sensitivity, are capable of monitoring a wide range of body movements, which helps in assessing human health in real time. Movement and body pressure are detected by directly fixing the sensor onto the skin. In a study, the sensors were fixed at the finger joints using transparent tape, and the relative resistance of the sensors changed as the finger joints bent at four different angles. With the increase in the bending angle of the finger joint, the force exerted on the sensor gradually increased, and the change in relative resistance increased accordingly. Also, attaching the sensor to the elbow joint showed a similar change in relative resistance to that of the finger joint when the elbow was bent at different angles.

6.3. Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI)

Communication between humans and machines can be facilitated through the integration of hardware and software systems. Flexible sensors serve as critical components by converting human mechanical actions into electrical signals that machines can easily interpret and respond to. Several studies have been conducted to demonstrate these human-machine interactions. In one study, a pressure sensor incorporating a nanofiber dielectric layer made of AgNW/TPU was developed, which was positioned between two identical Au/PDMS layers to facilitate human-machine interaction. They created a piano glove equipped with 10 separate sensors, each of which corresponded to a musical note, allowing the user of the glove to play the piano. These sensors were linked to a circuit board that wirelessly transmitted the capacitance changes to a smartphone application through a Bluetooth module.

6.4. Soft Robotics and Electronic Skin

Various flexible electronic skins, also called E-skins, are developed to replicate the diverse sensing capabilities of human skin. Pressure sensors are essential components of electronic skin and are required to be flexible, conformable, and have small sensing pixels. In addition to pressure sensing, E-skin can also incorporate additional features like temperature sensing, self-healing properties, and the ability to distinguish between different external stimuli. For example, in a study, a leaf-shaped electrode sensor was integrated onto the fingertip of a 3D-printed robotic hand, which demonstrated the sensor’s ability to detect human touch. Similarly, a study disclosed that a crack-based pressure sensor was capable of two-dimensional color mapping of external forces as well as monitoring subtle human movements, including slow muscle contractions.

7. IP Activity in Wrinkled Silver Nanowires (AgNWs) Structures

As part of our analysis of patent activity in Wrinkled Silver Nanowires technologies, an IP landscape study was conducted to identify related patents. A total of 76 patent families, comprising 150 patent applications provide the following insights.

7.1 Relevant keywords, synonyms and classes used for search

• Silver nanowire, AgNWs, Ag nanowire, Silver NWs, AgNWs networks, Ag-based nanowires
• Wrinkled, buckled, creased, textured, patterned
• Relevant patent classification: G01L1/18, G01L19/0092, G01L1/22, G06F3/014, B82Y40/00

7.2 Graphical Analysis from the identified patents:

Figure 6 shows the distribution of patents across publication countries, China has most patents i.e., 55, out of which 49 patents are active. US comes second with 27 patents, out of which 19 patents are active.

Figure 7 shows a chart illustrating patent publication trends over the last 15 years, with maximum patents published in 2025. According to recent publication trends, the peak number of patents was published between 2016 and 2025. It should be noted that the publication trends for 2026 might surpass those depicted in the graph due to unpublished patent applications.

Figure 8 Shows top 10 patent assignees, with the Samsung leading with 7 patents. Followed by the Dongwoo Fine Chem Co Ltd with 4 patents.

8. Market and Commercial Outlook

Market Size: The global silver nanowires market was valued at USD 1.8 billion in 2025. It is expected to rise from USD 2.3 billion in 2026 to nearly USD 21 billion by 2035, reflecting a CAGR of 27.9%, according to Global Market Insights Inc.

The healthcare and medical device sector is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.5%. Silver nanowires are expected to play a key role in wearable sensors, diagnostic tools, and surgical instruments, due to their excellent conductivity and mechanical flexibility.

9. Key Challenges to the Practical Implementation of Wrinkled AgNW Sensors

While silver nanowire (AgNW)-based flexible sensors, with wrinkled structures, offer significant advantages in terms of stretchability and sensitivity, several challenges remain that hinder their widespread adoption and long-term performance.

10. Future outlook

Wrinkled AgNW-based flexible sensors have demonstrated remarkable potential in a wide range of applications, whether in wearable health monitors or human-machine interfaces or soft robotics. However, for these technologies to transition from small laboratory-scale levels to commercial products, development is required in several key areas. Future research work should focus on scalable, cost-effective fabrication techniques thereby improving the adhesion between AgNWs and elastomeric substrates without compromising in performance and stability. As the demand for flexible, high-performance sensors grows across various industries, continued interdisciplinary collaborations will be essential in optimizing the materials, device functionalities, and system-level integration for next-generation smart electronics.

11. Conclusion

Wrinkled AgNWs sensors represent a promising advancement in the field of flexible and stretchable electronics. Their unique structural morphology, when combined with the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of AgNWs, makes them highly suitable for applications in wearable devices, health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and soft robotics. By forming controlled wrinkle patterns, the sensitivity and durability of these sensors can be enhanced, along with their ability to withstand large mechanical deformations.