# A Thermally Stable Piezoresistive Textile for Reliable Tactile Sensing

## TL;DR

A new heat-resistant textile sensor is developed for reliable tactile sensing in high-temperature environments, suitable for robotics.

## Contribution

A thermally stable piezoresistive textile is introduced with exceptional durability above 495°C using a novel core–shell material design.

## Key findings

- The textile maintains tactile sensing performance at 250°C for 24 hours.
- It can withstand temperatures up to 495°C for 4 hours.
- The sensor successfully retrieves objects from open flames when integrated into a robotic gripper.

## Abstract

Robotic applications in high‐temperature environments demand flexible tactile sensors that can endure extreme heat. Conventional sensors, typically made of polymers and carbon‐based materials, deteriorate quickly under such conditions. This work introduces a novel piezoresistive textile for stable tactile sensing above 495°C. The exceptional durability and heat resistance come from the robust core–shell design of the materials, featuring a silicon oxycarbide core and an amorphous carbon shell, which demonstrates unparalleled mechanical strength and flame resistance. With airflow‐assisted rotary spinning and density‐controlled sintering, the piezoresistive textile is scalable and consistently performs at temperatures up to 250°C for over 24 h and can withstand even higher temperatures of 495°C for 4 h. When integrated into a robotic gripper, the ultrahigh temperature textile sensor successfully retrieves a small item from flames fueled by alcohol, showcasing its effectiveness in high‐temperature tactile sensing. This innovative textile sensor offers a promising solution for tactile sensing and robotic applications in high‐temperature environments.

A heat‐resistant piezoresistive textile based on silicon oxycarbide/carbon core–shell fibers is developed using scalable airflow‐assisted spinning. The textile retains tactile sensing performance at 250°C for 24 h and endures temperatures up to 495°C for 4 h. When integrated into a robotic gripper, it enabled object retrieval from open flames, demonstrating its potential for extreme‐environment robotics.