Abstract
Flexible pressure sensors have received attention because of their high sensitivity, durability, and flexibility, which can be used in many emerging applications in contrast to conventional pressure sensors based on rigid semiconductors and metallic foils. However, flexible pressure sensors are limited by complex, multistep, and expensive methods. In addition, these sensors exhibit a trade-off between sensitivity and the measured range of pressure. Hence, a simple method to produce a flexible pressure sensor with a wide range of detection is essential. In this study, nanocomposites were fabricated as flexible pressure sensors using a novel sinking process. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as fillers were sunk into a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer at various viscosities to form a homogenous CNTs/PDMS composite. Our results indicate that the decrease in viscosity of the PDMS elastomer increases not only the air bubbles inside the CNTs/PDMS composite but also the filler content. Our champion sensors have a sensitivity of 8.15 × 10–4 kPa−1, a recovery time of 0.15 s, and stability over 3000 cycles. Moreover, the sensor shows an ultra-wide sensing range, from the gripping of fingers to the weight of a sedan car, so it can meet the requirements for various practical applications.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data included in this study are available upon request by contact with the corresponding author.
References
Y. Gu, T. Zhang, H. Chen, F. Wang, Y. Pu, C. Gao, S. Li, Mini review on flexible and wearable electronics for monitoring human health information. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 14, 263 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-019-3084-x
F.R. Hsiao, I.F. Wu, Y.C. Liao, Porous CNT/rubber composite for resistive pressure sensor. J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Eng. 102, 387 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2019.05.017
S. Zheng, X. Wu, Y. Huang, Z. Xu, W. Yang, Z. Liu, M. Yang, Multifunctional and highly sensitive piezoresistive sensing textile based on a hierarchical architecture. Compos. Sci. Technol. 197, 108255 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2020.108255
S. Tadakaluru, T. Kumpika, E. Kantarak, W. Sroila, A. Panthawan, P. Sanmuangmoon, W. Thongsuwan, P. Singjai, Highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors using nano-graphene coated natural rubber. Plast. Rubber Compos. 46, 301–305 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1080/14658011.2017.1336345
J. Jang, Y.S. Jun, H. Seo, M. Kim, J.U. Park, Motion detection using tactile sensors based on pressure-sensitive transistor arrays. Sensors 20, 3624 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/s20133624
A. Kumar, Flexible and wearable capacitive pressure sensor for blood pressure monitoring. Sens. Bio-Sens. Res. 33, 100434 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbsr.2021.100434
Z. Zhan, R. Lin, V.-T. Tran, J. An, Y. Wei, H. Du, T. Tran, W. Lu, Paper/carbon nanotube-based wearable pressure sensor for physiological signal acquisition and soft robotic skin. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 9, 37921–37928 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b10820
C. Liu, N. Huang, F. Xu, J. Tong, Z. Chen, X. Gui, Y. Fu, C. Lao, 3D printing technologies for flexible tactile sensors toward wearable electronics and electronic skin. Polymers 10, 629 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10060629
P. Tyminska, K. Zaborowska-Sapeta, D. Janczak, T. Gizewski, TLSO with graphene sensors-an application to measurements of corrective forces in the prototype of intelligent brace. Sensors 22, 4015 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3390/s22114015
W. Huang, K. Dai, Y. Zhai, H. Liu, P. Zhan, J. Gao, G. Zheng, C. Liu, C. Shen, Flexible and lightweight pressure sensor based on carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyurethane-aligned conductive foam with superior compressibility and stability. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 9, 42266–42277 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b16975
W. Thongruang, C. Ritthichaiwong, P. Bunnaul, P. Smithmaitrie, K. Chetpattananondh, Electrical and mechanical properties of ternary composites from natural rubber and conductive fillers. Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol. 30, 361–366 (2008)
H. Tian, Y. Shu, X.-F. Wang, M.A. Mohammad, Z. Bie, Q.-Y. Xie, C. Li, M.-T. Mi, Y. Yang, T.-L.A. Ren, Graphene-based resistive pressure sensor with record-high sensitivity in a wide pressure range. Sci. Rep. 5, 8603 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep08603
C. Lou, S. Wang, T. Liang, C. Pang, L. Huang, M. Run, X. Liu, A graphene-based flexible pressure sensor with applications to plan. Materials 10, 1068 (2017). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10091068
H. Li, K. Wu, Z. Xu, Z. Wang, Y. Meng, L. Li, Ultrahigh-sensitivity piezoresistive pressure sensors for detection of tiny pressure. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 10, 20826–20834 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b03639
P. Singjai, S. Changsarn, S. Thongtem, Electrical resistivity of bulk multi-walled carbon nanotubes synthesized by an infusion chemical vapor deposition method. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 443, 42–46 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2006.06.042
B.P. Grady, Recent developments concerning the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in polymers. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 31, 247–257 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.200900514
R. Kaneko, T.H. Chowdhury, G. Wu, Md.E. Kayesh, S. Kazaoui, K. Sugawa, J.-J. Lee, T. Noda, A. Islam, J. Otsuki, Cobalt-doped nickel oxide nanoparticles as efficient hole transport materials for low-temperature processed perovskite solar cells. Sol. Energy 181, 243–250 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2019.01.097
S.A. Hasan, Y. Jung, S. Kim, C.L. Jung, S. Oh, J. Kim, H. Lim, A sensitivity enhanced MWCNT/PDMS tactile sensor using micropillars and low energy Ar+ ion beam treatment. Sensors 16, 93 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3390/s16010093
O. Gunnarsson, J.E. Han, The mean free path for electron conduction in metallic fullerenes. Nature 405, 1027–1030 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35016512
S.-E. Zhu, M.K. Ghatkesar, C. Zhang, G.C.A.M. Janssen, Graphene based piezoresistive pressure sensor. Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 161904 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4802799
H.-B. Yao, J. Ge, C.-F. Wang, X. Wang, W. Hu, Z.-J. Zheng, Y. Ni, S.-H. Yu, A flexible and highly pressure-sensitive graphene-polyurethane sponge based on fractured microstructure design. Adv. Mater. 25, 6692–6698 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201303041
N. Shao, J. Wu, X. Yang, J. Yao, Y. Shi, Z. Zhou, Flexible capacitive pressure sensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotube electrodes. Micro Nano Lett. 12, 45–48 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/abd9ec
L. Pan, A. Chortos, G. Yu, Y. Wang, S. Isaacson, R. Allen, Y. Shi, R. Dauskardt, Z. Bao, An ultra-sensitive resistive pressure sensor based on hollow-sphere microstructure induced elasticity in conducting polymer film. Nat. Commun. 5, 3002 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4002
D. Maddipatla, B.B. Narakathu, M.M. Ali, A.A. Chlaihawi, M.Z. Atashbar, Development of a novel carbon nanotube based printed and flexible pressure sensor. Proc. IEEE Sens. Appl. Symp. 2017, 1–4 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1109/SAS.2017.7894034
Y. Jung, K.K. Jung, D.H. Kim, D.H. Kwak, J.S. Ko, Linearly sensitive and flexible pressure sensor based on porous carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane composite structure. Polymers 12, 1499 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071499
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Department of Physics and Materials Science, Chiang Mai University, for the facility and support. This work was funded by the postdoctoral fellowship from Chiang Mai University for help and support.
Funding
This work was funded by the postdoctoral fellowship from Chiang Mai University for help and support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
PT, PS, and TK designed the study and synthesized the material. PT and NJ drawn diagrams. WT, WS, RS, EK, and WS measured and analyzed the sensors. PS, OW, and WT provided conceptual advice. PT and TK wrote the manuscript. PT designed the circuit and coding.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Supplementary file1 (MP4 2923 kb)
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Tippo, P., Kumpika, T., Thongpan, W. et al. Wide range pressure sensing influenced by porous polymer using the sinking method. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 24285–24294 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09149-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09149-x