A Breathable and Screen-Print Pressure Sensor Based on Nanofiber Membranes for Electronic Skins
Published in Advanced Materials Technologies, 2017
Recommended citation: Wei Yang, Nian-Wu Li, Shuyu Zhao, Zuqing Yuan, Jiaona Wang, Xinyu Du, Bin Wang, Ran Cao, Xiuyan Li, Weihua Xu, Zhong Lin Wang and Congju Li, "A Breathable and Screen-Print Pressure Sensor Based on Nanofiber Membranes for Electronic Skins", Adv. Mater. Technol., 1700241 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.201700241
Abstract
we have demonstrated a skin-like pressure sensor with high sensitivity, good flexibility, fast response speed, outstanding air permeability, and light weight through electrospinning and screen-printing, which are suitable for low-cost and large-area production. Due to many air gaps of thermoplastic polyurethane nanofiber membranes, the skin-like pressure sensor exhibited high sensitivity of 4.2 kPa-1. Based on good air circulation in the dielectric layer, the pressure sensor has shown fast response time of less than 26 ms. Besides, the skin-like poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofiber membranes substrate has endowed the pressure sensor with air permeability and hydrophobicity. The skin-like sensor was applied in monitoring human physiological signals such as respiration and heart rate. In addition, a large-area pressure sensor array has been fabricated by screen-printing and realized the detection of the external pressure distribution. As a result, the breathable and screen-print capacitive pressure sensor could provide a promising strategy for the design of e-skins with air permeability.