scholarly journals Cost-Effective Fabrication of Transparent Strain Sensors via Micro-Scale 3D Printing and Imprinting

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Rui Wang ◽  
Xiaoyang Zhu ◽  
Luanfa Sun ◽  
Shuai Shang ◽  
Hongke Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Expression Recognition ◽  
Wrist Flexion ◽  
Multiwalled Carbon ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor

The development of strain sensors with high sensitivity and stretchability is essential for health monitoring, electronic skin, wearable devices, and human-computer interactions. However, sensors that combine high sensitivity and ultra-wide detection generally require complex preparation processes. Here, a novel flexible strain sensor with high sensitivity and transparency was proposed by filling a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) solution into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel films fabricated via an electric field-driven (EFD) 3D printing and molding hybrid process. The fabricated flexible strain sensor with embedded MWCNT networks had superior gauge factors of 90, 285, and 1500 at strains of 6.6%, 14%, and 20%, respectively. In addition, the flexible strain sensors with an optical transparency of 84% offered good stability and durability with no significant change in resistance after 8000 stretch-release cycles. Finally, the fabricated flexible strain sensors with embedded MWCNT networks showed good practical performance and could be attached to the skin to monitor various human movements such as wrist flexion, finger flexion, neck flexion, blinking activity, food swallowing, and facial expression recognition. These are good application strategies for wearable devices and health monitoring.

Area-Arrayed Graphene Nano-Ribbon-Base Strain Sensor

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryohei Nakagawa ◽  
Zhi Wang ◽  
Ken Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Vapor Deposition ◽  
Stress Concentration ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposition Method ◽  
High Quality

Health monitoring devices using a strain sensor, which shows high sensitivity and large deformability, are strongly demanded due to further aging of society with fewer children. Conventional strain sensors, such as metallic strain gauges and semiconductive strain sensors, however, aren’t applicable to health monitoring because of their low sensitivity and deformability. In this study, fundamental design of area-arrayed graphene nano-ribbon (GNR) strain senor was proposed in order to fabricate next-generation strain sensor. The sensor was consisted of two sections, which are stress concentration section and stress detecting section. This structure can take full advantage of GNR’s properties. Moreover, high quality GNR fabrication process, which is one of the important process in the sensor, was developed by applying CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method. Top-down approach was applied to fabricate the GNR. At first, in order to synthesize a high-quality graphene sheet, acetylene-based LPCVD (low pressure chemical vapor deposition) using a closed Cu foil was employed. After that, graphene was transferred silicon substrate and the quality was evaluated. The high quality graphene was transferred on the soft PDMS substrate and metallic electrodes were fabricated by applying MEMS technology. Area-arrayed fine pin structure was fabricated by using hard PDMS as a stress-concentration section. Finally, both sections were integrated to form a highly sensitive and large deformable pressure sensor. The strain sensitivity of the GNR-base sensor was also evaluated.

scholarly journals A Sprayed Graphene Pattern-Based Flexible Strain Sensor with High Sensitivity and Fast Response

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Xu ◽  
Tingting Yang ◽  
Feng Qin ◽  
Dongdong Gong ◽  
Yijia Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Strain Sensor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Biomedical Science ◽  
Gauge Factor ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor

Flexible strain sensors have a wide range of applications in biomedical science, aerospace industry, portable devices, precise manufacturing, etc. However, the manufacturing processes of most flexible strain sensors previously reported have usually required high manufacturing costs and harsh experimental conditions. Besides, research interests are often focused on improving a single attribute parameter while ignoring others. This work aims to propose a simple method of manufacturing flexible graphene-based strain sensors with high sensitivity and fast response. Firstly, oxygen plasma treats the substrate to improve the interfacial interaction between graphene and the substrate, thereby improving device performance. The graphene solution is then sprayed using a soft PET mask to define a pattern for making the sensitive layer. This flexible strain sensor exhibits high sensitivity (gauge factor ~100 at 1% strain), fast response (response time: 400–700 μs), good stability (1000 cycles), and low overshoot (<5%) as well. Those processes used are compatible with a variety of complexly curved substrates and is expected to broaden the application of flexible strain sensors.

scholarly journals Design of a Sensitive Balloon Sensor for Safe Human–Robot Interaction

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2163
Author(s):  
Dongjin Kim ◽  
Seungyong Han ◽  
Taewi Kim ◽  
Changhwan Kim ◽  
Doohoe Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Tactile Sensors ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Mechanical Crack ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor ◽  
Contact Sensing

As the safety of a human body is the main priority while interacting with robots, the field of tactile sensors has expanded for acquiring tactile information and ensuring safe human–robot interaction (HRI). Existing lightweight and thin tactile sensors exhibit high performance in detecting their surroundings. However, unexpected collisions caused by malfunctions or sudden external collisions can still cause injuries to rigid robots with thin tactile sensors. In this study, we present a sensitive balloon sensor for contact sensing and alleviating physical collisions over a large area of rigid robots. The balloon sensor is a pressure sensor composed of an inflatable body of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and a highly sensitive and flexible strain sensor laminated onto it. The mechanical crack-based strain sensor with high sensitivity enables the detection of extremely small changes in the strain of the balloon. Adjusting the geometric parameters of the balloon allows for a large and easily customizable sensing area. The weight of the balloon sensor was approximately 2 g. The sensor is employed with a servo motor and detects a finger or a sheet of rolled paper gently touching it, without being damaged.

scholarly journals Structural Reinforcement Effect of a Flexible Strain Sensor Integrated with Pneumatic Balloon Actuators for Soft Microrobot Fingers

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 395
Author(s):  
Satoshi Konishi ◽  
Fuminari Mori ◽  
Ayano Shimizu ◽  
Akiya Hirata
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Original Performance ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Parylene C ◽  
Structural Reinforcement ◽  
Effective Combination ◽  
Metal Strain ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor

Motion capture of a robot and tactile sensing for a robot require sensors. Strain sensors are used to detect bending deformation of the robot finger and to sense the force from an object. It is important to introduce sensors in effective combination with actuators without affecting the original performance of the robot. We are interested in the improvement of flexible strain sensors integrated into soft microrobot fingers using a pneumatic balloon actuator (PBA). A strain sensor using a microchannel filled with liquid metal was developed for soft PBAs by considering the compatibility of sensors and actuators. Inflatable deformation generated by PBAs, however, was found to affect sensor characteristics. This paper presents structural reinforcement of a liquid metal-based sensor to solve this problem. Parylene C film was deposited into a microchannel to reinforce its structure against the inflatable deformation caused by a PBA. Parylene C deposition into a microchannel suppressed the interference of inflatable deformation. The proposed method enables the effective combination of soft PBAs and a flexible liquid metal strain sensor for use in microrobot fingers.

Research on the Performance of Strain Sensors Applied to Bridges

2014 ◽  
Vol 875-877 ◽  
pp. 680-684
Author(s):  
Zhi Liu ◽  
Jing Liu ◽  
Shu Ri Cai
Keyword(s):  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
Safety Monitoring ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Great Role ◽  
Temperature Drift ◽  
Short Life ◽  
Test Analysis ◽  
Health Monitoring System

Strengthening safety monitoring of bridges during service time and improving the capability of emergency support have become the priority of the development of China’s present transportation system. Strain sensors play a great role in bridge detection and health monitoring system. In order to overcome disadvantages of traditional resistance strain sensors, such as big temperature drift, short life and inadaptability in the environment of low temperature and humidity, new arch strain sensors have been developed. This paper mainly discusses the structural and material characteristics of this sensor, as well as the performance test analysis of this strain sensor.

scholarly journals Corrugated Photoactive Thin Films for Flexible Strain Sensor

Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghyeon Ryu ◽  
Alfred Mongare
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Tensile Strain ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Optical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Strain Sensing ◽  
Dc Voltage ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor

In this study, a flexible strain sensor is devised using corrugated bilayer thin films consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polystyrene(sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). In previous studies, the P3HT-based photoactive non-corrugated thin film was shown to generate direct current (DC) under broadband light, and the generated DC voltage varied with applied tensile strain. Yet, the mechanical resiliency and strain sensing range of the P3HT-based thin film strain sensor were limited due to brittle non-corrugated thin film constituents. To address this issue, it is aimed to design a mechanically resilient strain sensor using corrugated thin film constituents. Buckling is induced to form corrugation in the thin films by applying pre-strain to the substrate, where the thin films are deposited, and releasing the pre-strain afterwards. It is known that corrugated thin film constituents exhibit different optical and electronic properties from non-corrugated ones. Therefore, to design the flexible strain sensor, it was studied to understand how the applied pre-strain and thickness of the PEDOT:PSS conductive thin film affects the optical and electrical properties. In addition, strain effect was investigated on the optical and electrical properties of the corrugated thin film constituents. Finally, flexible strain sensors are fabricated by following the design guideline, which is suggested from the studies on the corrugated thin film constituents, and the DC voltage strain sensing capability of the flexible strain sensors was validated. As a result, the flexible strain sensor exhibited a tensile strain sensing range up to 5% at a frequency up to 15 Hz with a maximum gauge factor ~7.

Flexible strain sensor based on embedded three-dimensional annular cracks with high mechanical robustness and high sensitivity

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 101247
Author(s):  
Duorui Wang ◽  
Xiangming Li ◽  
Hongmiao Tian ◽  
Xiaoliang Chen ◽  
Bangbang Nie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor ◽  
Annular Cracks

Flexible Strain Sensor Using Additive Manufacturing and Conductive Liquid Metal: Design, Fabrication, and Characterization

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Smith ◽  
Hamzeh Bardaweel
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Strain Sensor ◽  
Gauge Factor ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Conductive Liquid ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor

In this work a flexible strain sensor is fabricated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing technique. The strain sensor is fabricated using commercially available flexible Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) filaments and liquid metal Galinstan Ga 68.5% In 21% Sn 10%. The strain sensor consists of U-shape 2.34mm long and 0.2mm deep channels embedded inside a TPU 3D printed structure. The performance of the strain sensor is measured experimentally. Gauge Factor is estimated by measuring change in electric resistance when the sensor is subject to 13.2% – 38.6% strain. Upon straining and unstraining, results from characterization tests show high linearity in the range of 13.2% to 38.6% strain with very little hysteresis. However, changes due to permanent deformations are a limiting factor in the usefulness of these sensors because these changes limit the consistency of the device. FDM 3D printing shows promise as a method for fabricating flexible strain sensors. However, more investigation is needed to look at the effects of geometries and 3D printing process parameters on the yield elongation of the flexible filaments. Additionally, more investigation is needed to observe the effect of distorted dimensions of the 3D printed channels on the sensitivity of the strain sensor. It is anticipated that successful implementation of these commercially available filaments and FDM 3D printers will lead to reduction in cost and complexity of developing these flexible sensors.

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