An ionic liquid based strain sensor for large displacement measurement

A robust and low cost ionic liquid based strain sensor is fabricated for high strain measurements in biomedical applications (up to 40 % and higher). A tubular 5 mm long silicone microchannel with an inner diameter of 310 µm and an outer diameter of 650 µm is filled with an ionic liquid. Three ionic liquids have been investigated: 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, ethylammonium nitrate and cholinium ethanoate. When the channel is axially stretched, geometrical deformations change the electrical impedance of the liquid channel. The sensors display a linear response and low hysteresis with an average gauge factors of 1.99 for strains up to 40 %. Additionally, to fix the sensor by surgical stitching to soft biological tissue, a sensor with tube clamps consisting of photopatternable SU-8 epoxy-based resin is proposed.