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Development and fabrication of highly flexible, stretchable, and sensitive strain sensor for long durability based on silver nanoparticles–polydimethylsiloxane composite

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Abstract

In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) conductive filler was attached on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate to produce resistive-type strain sensors. The sandwich-structured-like PDMS covered AgNPs strain sensors (Ag-PDMS) and AgNPs modified PDMS composite strain sensors (Ag@PDMS) were fabricated by a drop-casting method. The effect of AgNPs loading such as 0.20 wt%, 0.25 wt%, and 0.30 wt% with PDMS was investigated and electromechanical performance were compared between Ag-PDMS and Ag@PDMS composite strain sensors. Based on the strain performance, the gauge factor of strain sensor fabricated with AgNPs loading with 0.25 wt% in PDMS (Ag0.25@PDMS) composite revealed the gauge factor of 10.08 with a strain range of 70%, which demonstrated fast time response, good stretchability, durability, and repeatability. Ag0.25@PDMS composite strain sensor fabricated in the present study is able to be used in finger motion detection, which indicates the capability of the sensor to be used for human body motion capture and other highly sensitive strain-sensing applications.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully express appreciation for the financial support from ASEAN University Network/Southeast Asia Engineering Education Development Network (AUN/SEED-Net) (Grant Number: 6050391) and Malaysian Ministry of Education (Fundamental Research Grant (MRSA) with Grant No. 6071284). The authors would also like to thank the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus, 14300, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

    Han Min Soe & Mariatti Jaafar

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi, 441-8580, Japan

    Han Min Soe & Atsunori Matsuda

  3. Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre (CEDEC), Sains/USM, Level 1, Block C, No. 10, Persiaran Bukit Jambul, 11900, Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

    Asrulnizam Abd Manaf

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  1. Han Min Soe
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Correspondence to Mariatti Jaafar.

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Soe, H.M., Manaf, A.A., Matsuda, A. et al. Development and fabrication of highly flexible, stretchable, and sensitive strain sensor for long durability based on silver nanoparticles–polydimethylsiloxane composite. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 11897–11910 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03744-6

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