scholarly journals Ultrasensitive Wearable Strain Sensors of 3D Printing Tough and Conductive Hydrogels

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jilong Wang ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
Siheng Su ◽  
Junhua Wei ◽  
Syed Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Calcium Ions ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Wearable Electronics ◽  
Ionic Conductors ◽  
Hydrogel Film ◽  
Excess Calcium ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels ◽  
Human Motions

In this study, tough and conductive hydrogels were printed by 3D printing method. The combination of thermo-responsive agar and ionic-responsive alginate can highly improve the shape fidelity. With addition of agar, ink viscosity was enhanced, further improving its rheological characteristics for a precise printing. After printing, the printed construct was cured via free radical polymerization, and alginate was crosslinked by calcium ions. Most importantly, with calcium crosslinking of alginate, mechanical properties of 3D printed hydrogels are greatly improved. Furthermore, these 3D printed hydrogels can serve as ionic conductors, because hydrogels contain large amounts of water that dissolve excess calcium ions. A wearable resistive strain sensor that can quickly and precisely detect human motions like finger bending was fabricated by a 3D printed hydrogel film. These results demonstrate that the conductive, transparent, and stretchable hydrogels are promising candidates as soft wearable electronics for healthcare, robotics and entertainment.

scholarly journals Fused filament fabrication of commercial conductive filaments: experimental study on the process parameters aimed at the minimization, repeatability and thermal characterization of electrical resistance

2020 ◽  
Vol 111 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 2971-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianni Stano ◽  
Attilio Di Nisio ◽  
Anna Maria Lanzolla ◽  
Mattia Ragolia ◽  
Gianluca Percoco
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Thermal Stresses ◽  
Wheatstone Bridge ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Strain Gauges ◽  
Fused Filament Fabrication ◽  
Embedded Sensing ◽  
3D Printed

Abstract Nowadays, a challenging scenario involving additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, relates to concerns on the manufacturing of electronic devices. In particular, the possibility of using fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology, which is well known for being very widespread and inexpensive, to fabricate structures with embedded sensing elements, is really appealing. Several researchers in this field have highlighted the high electrical resistance values and variability in 3D-printed strain sensors made via FFF. It is important to find a way to minimize the electrical resistance and variability among strain sensors printed under the same conditions for several reasons, such as reducing the measurement noise and better balancing four 3D-printed strain gauges connected to form a Wheatstone bridge to obtain better measurements. In this study, a design of experiment (DoE) on 3D-printed strain gauges, studying the relevance of printing and design parameters, was performed. Three different commercial conductive materials were analyzed, including a total of 105 printed samples. The output of this study is a combination of parameters which allow both the electrical resistance and variability to be minimized; in particular, it was discovered that the “welding effect” due to the layer height and printing orientation is responsible for high values of resistance and variability. After the optimization of printing and design parameters, further experiments were performed to characterize the sensitivity of each specimen to mechanical and thermal stresses, highlighting an interesting aspect. A sensible variation of the electrical resistance at room temperature was observed, even if no stress was applied to the specimen, suggesting the potential of exploiting these materials for the 3D printing of highly sensitive temperature sensors.

High strength and flexible aramid nanofiber conductive hydrogels for wearable strain sensors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Wang ◽  
Yankun Lin ◽  
Amel Mohamed ◽  
Qingmin Ji ◽  
Hongbing Jia
Keyword(s):  
High Strength ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Wearable Electronics ◽  
Biocompatible Material ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels

As a typical wettable, flexible, and biocompatible material, hydrogel has been a potential candidate for wearable electronics.

On the Crosstalks between a Pair of Transmission Lines in the Presence of a 3D Printed Electrifi Trace

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1286-1287
Author(s):  
Dipankar Mitra ◽  
Kazi Kabir ◽  
Jerika Clevelenad ◽  
Ryan Striker ◽  
Benjamin Braaten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Transmission Lines ◽  
Electromagnetic Compatibility ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Wearable Electronics ◽  
Conductive Filament ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Microstrip Transmission Lines

The technology of additive manufacturing results in 3D printing of conductive traces in radio frequency circuits. This creates a plethora of possibilities in realizing flexible and wearable electronics. While the prototypes of microstrip transmission lines and antennas have been recently reported, there is now a need of Electromagnetic Compatibility based study of such 3D printed conductive traces. This paper presents a comparative study on the near end and far end unintentional crosstalk components between a pair of microstrip transmission lines made of Copper in the presence of a 3D printed conductive trace made of a commercially available conductive filament, Electrifi. Any physical contact with the 3D printed trace has been purposefully averted to discard the high contact resistance between the trace and such contacts.

3D printing of ionic conductors for high-sensitivity wearable sensors

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 767-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang-Yu Yin ◽  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Xiaobing Cai ◽  
Qiuquan Guo ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Ionic Conductors ◽  
3D Printed

DLP 3D printed ionic hydrogels are designed as sensitivity-improved electrodes in a skin-like sensor.

scholarly journals Orthogonal photochemistry-assisted printing of 3D tough and stretchable conductive hydrogels

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongqiu Wei ◽  
Ming Lei ◽  
Ping Zhang ◽  
Jinsong Leng ◽  
Zijian Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Coupling Reaction ◽  
One Pot ◽  
Performance Pressure ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels ◽  
Extrusion Printing ◽  
Short Time

Abstract3D-printing tough conductive hydrogels (TCHs) with complex structures is still a challenging task in related fields due to their inherent contrasting multinetworks, uncontrollable and slow polymerization of conductive components. Here we report an orthogonal photochemistry-assisted printing (OPAP) strategy to make 3D TCHs in one-pot via the combination of rational visible-light-chemistry design and reliable extrusion printing technique. This orthogonal chemistry is rapid, controllable, and simultaneously achieve the photopolymerization of EDOT and phenol-coupling reaction, leading to the construction of tough hydrogels in a short time (tgel ~30 s). As-prepared TCHs are tough, conductive, stretchable, and anti-freezing. This template-free 3D printing can process TCHs to arbitrary structures during the fabrication process. To further demonstrate the merits of this simple OPAP strategy and TCHs, 3D-printed TCHs hydrogel arrays and helical lines, as proofs-of-concept, are made to assemble high-performance pressure sensors and a temperature-responsive actuator. It is anticipated that this one-pot rapid, controllable OPAP strategy opens new horizons to tough hydrogels.

scholarly journals 3D Printable Electrically Conductive Hydrogel Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 474
Author(s):  
Sandya Shiranthi Athukorala ◽  
Tuan Sang Tran ◽  
Rajkamal Balu ◽  
Vi Khanh Truong ◽  
James Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Hybrid Methods ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Electrically Conductive ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Hydrogel Scaffolds ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Conductive Fillers ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels

Electrically conductive hydrogels (ECHs), an emerging class of biomaterials, have garnered tremendous attention due to their potential for a wide variety of biomedical applications, from tissue-engineered scaffolds to smart bioelectronics. Along with the development of new hydrogel systems, 3D printing of such ECHs is one of the most advanced approaches towards rapid fabrication of future biomedical implants and devices with versatile designs and tuneable functionalities. In this review, an overview of the state-of-the-art 3D printed ECHs comprising conductive polymers (polythiophene, polyaniline and polypyrrole) and/or conductive fillers (graphene, MXenes and liquid metals) is provided, with an insight into mechanisms of electrical conductivity and design considerations for tuneable physiochemical properties and biocompatibility. Recent advances in the formulation of 3D printable bioinks and their practical applications are discussed; current challenges and limitations of 3D printing of ECHs are identified; new 3D printing-based hybrid methods for selective deposition and fabrication of controlled nanostructures are highlighted; and finally, future directions are proposed.

scholarly journals A Review of Conductive Hydrogel Used in Flexible Strain Sensor

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Tang ◽  
Shaoji Wu ◽  
Jie Qu ◽  
Liang Gong ◽  
Jianxin Tang
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Synthetic Methods ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Ionic Conductors ◽  
Conductive Hydrogel ◽  
Strong Adhesion ◽  
Flexible Strain Sensor ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels

Hydrogels, as classic soft materials, are important materials for tissue engineering and biosensing with unique properties, such as good biocompatibility, high stretchability, strong adhesion, excellent self-healing, and self-recovery. Conductive hydrogels possess the additional property of conductivity, which endows them with advanced applications in actuating devices, biomedicine, and sensing. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent development of conductive hydrogels in the field of strain sensors, with particular focus on the types of conductive fillers, including ionic conductors, conducting nanomaterials, and conductive polymers. The synthetic methods of such conductive hydrogel materials and their physical and chemical properties are highlighted. At last, challenges and future perspectives of conductive hydrogels applied in flexible strain sensors are discussed.

scholarly journals 3D printed deformable sensors

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (25) ◽  
pp. eaba5575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhijie Zhu ◽  
Hyun Soo Park ◽  
Michael C. McAlpine
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Target Surface ◽  
Wearable Electronics ◽  
Impedance Tomography ◽  
Direct Printing ◽  
System A ◽  
Biological Surface ◽  
Benefit Patient ◽  
Printing System ◽  
3D Printed

The ability to directly print compliant biomedical devices on live human organs could benefit patient monitoring and wound treatment, which requires the 3D printer to adapt to the various deformations of the biological surface. We developed an in situ 3D printing system that estimates the motion and deformation of the target surface to adapt the toolpath in real time. With this printing system, a hydrogel-based sensor was printed on a porcine lung under respiration-induced deformation. The sensor was compliant to the tissue surface and provided continuous spatial mapping of deformation via electrical impedance tomography. This adaptive 3D printing approach may enhance robot-assisted medical treatments with additive manufacturing capabilities, enabling autonomous and direct printing of wearable electronics and biological materials on and inside the human body.

scholarly journals Conductive Polymer Composites Based Flexible Strain Sensors by 3D Printing: A Mini-Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Libing Liu ◽  
Dong Xiang ◽  
Yuanpeng Wu ◽  
Zuoxin Zhou ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Polymer Composites ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Conductive Polymer ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Layer By Layer ◽  
Conductive Polymer Composites ◽  
3D Printed

With the development of wearable electronic devices, conductive polymer composites (CPCs) based flexible strain sensors are gaining tremendous popularity. In recent years, the applications of additive manufacturing (AM) technology (also known as 3D printing) in fabricating CPCs based flexible strain sensors have attracted the attention of researchers due to their advantages of mold-free structure, low cost, short time, and high accuracy. AM technology, based on material extrusion, photocuring, and laser sintering, produces complex and high-precision CPCs based wearable sensors through layer-by-layer stacking of printing material. Some high-performance CPCs based strain sensors are developed by employing different 3D printing technologies and printing materials. In this mini-review, we summarize and discuss the performance and applications of 3D printed CPCs based strain sensors in recent years. Finally, the current challenges and prospects of 3D printed strain sensors are also discussed to provide an insight into the future of strain sensors using 3D printing technology.

scholarly journals 3D Printing of Highly Stretchable and Sensitive Strain Sensors Using Graphene Based Composites

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (13) ◽  
pp. 792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meshari Alsharari ◽  
Baixin Chen ◽  
Wenmiao Shu
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Fused Deposition Modeling ◽  
Thermoplastic Polyurethane ◽  
Strain Sensors ◽  
Sensitive Strain ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
Printed Sensors ◽  
Highly Stretchable ◽  
Deposition Modeling ◽  
3D Printed

In this research, we present the development of 3D printed, highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors using Graphene based composites. Graphene, a 2D material with unique electrical and piezoresistive properties, has already been used to create highly sensitive strain sensors. In this new study, by co-printing Graphene based Polylactic acid (PLA) with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensor based on Graphene composites can be 3D printed for the first time in strain sensors. The fabrication process of all materials is fully compatible with fused deposition modeling (FDM) based 3D printing method, which makes it possible to rapidly prototype and manufacture highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors. The mechanical properties, electrical properties, sensitivity of the 3D printed sensors will be presented.

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