{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,7]],"date-time":"2026-02-07T20:14:17Z","timestamp":1770495257785,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,21]],"date-time":"2023-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1674259200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Soft robotics is an expanding area with multiple applications; however, building low-cost, soft, and flexible robots requires the development of sensors that can be directly integrated into the soft robotics fabrication process. Thus, the motivation for this work was the design of a low-cost fabrication process of flexible sensors that can detect touch and deformation. The fabrication process proposed uses a flexible polymer nanocomposite with permanent magnets strategically placed where the conductive electrodes should be. The nanocomposite is based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNT contains ferromagnetic impurities remaining from the synthesis process, which can be used for magnetic manipulation. Several electrode geometries were successfully simulated and tested. The magnetic patterning was simulated, allowing the fabrication of conductive patterns within the composite. This fabrication process allowed the reduction of the electrical resistivity of the nanocomposites as compared to the composites with homogeneous MWCNT dispersion. It also allowed the fabrication of piezoresistive and triboelectric sensors at MWCNT concentration as low as 0.5 wt.%. The fabrication process proposed is flexible, allows the development of sensors for soft robotics, as well as monitoring large and unconventional areas, and may be adapted to different mould shapes and polymers at low cost.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app13031437","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,23]],"date-time":"2023-01-23T02:01:02Z","timestamp":1674439262000},"page":"1437","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Fabrication of Low Electrical Percolation Threshold Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors Using Magnetic Patterning"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6303-7079","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David Seixas","family":"Esteves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CENTI, Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalic\u00e3o, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Nelson","family":"Dur\u00e3es","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CENTI, Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalic\u00e3o, Portugal"}]},{"given":"R\u00faben","family":"Pedroso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CENTI, Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalic\u00e3o, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0781-7147","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amanda","family":"Melo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CENTI, Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalic\u00e3o, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3538-5804","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria C.","family":"Paiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IPC, Institute for Polymers and Composites, Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, 4804-533 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Elsa W.","family":"Sequeiros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"LAETA\/INEGI\u2013Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liu, H., and Thostenson, E.T. 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