Abstract
Printed piezoresistive strain sensors based on stretchable roll-to-roll screen-printed silver electrodes on polydimethylsiloxane substrates and inkjet-deposited single-wall carbon nanotube micropatterns are demonstrated in this work. With the optimization of surface wetting and inkjet printing parameters, well-defined microscopic line patterns of the nanotubes with a sheet resistance of <100 Ω/□ could be deposited between stretchable Ag electrodes on the plasma-treated substrate. The developed stretchable devices are highly sensitive to tensile strain with a gauge factor of up to 400 and a pressure sensitivity of ∼0.09 Pa–1, respond to bending down to a radius of 1.5 mm, and are suitable for mounting on the skin to monitor and resolve various movements of the human body such as cardiac cycle, breathing, and finger flexing. This study indicates that inkjet deposition of nanomaterials can complement well other printing technologies to produce flexible and stretchable devices in a versatile manner.
Highlights
Stretchable electrical components and devices play a pivotal role in future smart applications implemented in apparel, sports, and medical equipment, as well as in various tactile systems
We show that under optimized conditions, highly conductive microscopic line patterns of single-wall CNT (SWCNT) with sheet resistance below 100 Ω/□ deposited by simple inkjet printing between stretchable Ag electrodes on PDMS are feasible for sensitive monitoring of mechanical strain with a gauge factor of up to 400 and a pressure sensitivity of ∼0.09 Pa−1
We assume that the sensing mechanism is based on the change of the curvature of the structure caused by the pressure fronts that deform the sensor and strain the printed SWCNT network on the surface
Summary
Stretchable electrical components and devices play a pivotal role in future smart applications implemented in apparel, sports, and medical equipment, as well as in various tactile systems. Intrinsically stretchable materials are composites of elastomers (silicones,[13] hydrogels,[14] and rubber-like materials15) and percolated threedimensional networks of conductive fillers [metal nanowires and nanoflakes,[16,17] carbon nanotubes (CNTs),[18] and graphene] or two-dimensional films of interconnected conductive nanomaterials applied on the surface of the elastomer.[19,20] When it comes to practical applications of such stretchable electrical components, a large number of devices are required at a low cost; it is important to explore technologies that support mass production and/or are compatible with other enabling technologies of the corresponding industry. Apart from tensile deformations, the sensors respond to flexing and are feasible to monitor heartbeats at the radial artery.[33]
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