Development of Structurally Stabilized Graphene-Based Composite Aerogels for Piezoresistive Sensing

Aerogels have attracted considerable attention as functional materials because of their
low density, high porosity, and interconnected three-dimensional structure. In particular,
graphene-based aerogels are promising candidates for flexible pressure sensors because
their conductive networks can generate electrical resistance changes in response to
external deformation. However, their highly porous frameworks are generally fragile and
may undergo structural collapse or irreversible deformation during repeated
compression. These limitations can reduce mechanical durability and cause unstable
sensing responses. Therefore, improving the structural stability of graphene-based
aerogels while maintaining their porous architecture and electrical responsiveness
remains an important challenge. In this work, a graphene-based composite aerogel was
prepared using ethylenediamine (EDA) and L-ascorbic acid (L-AA) to control the
formation and electrical characteristics of the graphene framework. Polydimethylsiloxane
(PDMS) was introduced to reinforce the porous structure and enhance its mechanical
stability. The chemical characteristics of the prepared aerogels were examined by Fourier-
transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and their internal morphology was observed
using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The compressive behavior and cyclic stability
were evaluated using a universal testing machine (UTM). In addition, changes in electrical
resistance under applied deformation were measured to investigate the piezoresistive
sensing performance. The relationships among the chemical characteristics, porous
morphology, mechanical behavior, and electrical response were considered. The results
suggest that the graphene/PDMS composite aerogel has potential as a lightweight and
mechanically stable material for pressure-sensing applications.