High Bending-Mode Sensitivity of Printed Piezoelectric Poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) Sensors

Printable piezoelectric sensors were fabricated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Solution-processed piezoelectric poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) ink was used as an active layer. Evaporated silver on PET was used as the bottom electrode and the painted silver glue as the top electrode. The sensors were poled using a high dc electric field from 25 to 65 MV m^-1, yielding piezoelectric normal direction sensitivities up to 25 pC N^-1. Bending-mode sensitivities showed values up to 200 nC N^-1, which is 4 orders of magnitude larger than the force sensitivity in the normal direction. The high bending-mode sensitivities suggest suitability for detecting small forces, such as single fiber bonds or cardiomyocyte cell-beating force.