Agro-based micropore-structured ionic polymer sensor with enhanced ionic conduction and flexibility

Abstract

Agro-based inexpensive ionic polymer sensors are demanded in wearable sensors, humidity sensors, human-machine interface, actuators, fuel cell, battery, water purifier, and supercapacitor applications. Ionic polymer sensors using polyelectrolytes and ionic liquid have been widely used for sensing skin, strain, and pressure sensor applications. These ionic polymer sensors were fabricated using expensive and toxic materials. Here we develop an inexpensive new agro-based micropore-structured ionic polymer sensor using sugarcane extract (SCN) attached poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membrane. The cost of the PVA/SCN based ionic polymer sensor is around 0.023$ per 78 cm2. The sensing performance of PVA/SCN ionic polymer sensor increased with increasing SCN content, and PVA/SCN (1/2.72 gm) ionic sensor showed 1100 and 1.65 times higher sensing current compared to those of the commercial Nafion ionic polymer and PVDF/PVP/ionic liquid-based ionic sensors. The new agro-based ionic polymer using sugarcane extract showed enhanced ionic conductivity, high dielectric constant, and mechanical properties compared to those of the pure PVA due to the sulphur (S), iron (Fe), and bagasse content. The ionic conductivity and tensile strain of PVA/SCN (1/2.72 gm) increased 43 and 13 times that of the PVA pure polymer, and these mentioned properties enhanced the sensing performance of PVA/SCN strain sensors.