iSens: A Fiber-Based, Highly Permeable and Imperceptible Sensor Design

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology
• Sustainable Construction

Background:

• Embedded sensors are crucial for process optimization and structural health monitoring in industries like construction and aerospace.
• The growing use of sustainable materials (wood, fiber composites) necessitates sensors compatible with their unique properties.
• Existing sensors often fail as defects in these new materials, leading to structural integrity issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce flexible, highly permeable, and imperceptible sensors (iSens) designed for seamless integration into construction materials.
• To enable in situ monitoring of adhesive curing processes in wood and fiber composites.
• To explore the potential of iSens as integrated heating elements for accelerated adhesive hardening.

Main Methods:

• Development of flexible, porous sensor substrates that readily accept adhesives.
• Implementation of in situ resistive temperature and capacitive sensing capabilities within the sensors.
• Utilization of numerical simulations and theoretical analysis to evaluate sensor performance and impact.
• Testing of iSens as integrated heating elements to reduce adhesive curing times.

Main Results:

• The developed iSens integrate seamlessly into components, acting as neither defects nor weak points.
• Sensors effectively perform in situ resistive temperature and capacitive measurements for adhesive monitoring.
• The iSens function as heating elements, successfully reducing adhesive hardening times.
• Numerical and theoretical analyses confirm the viability and performance of the iSens technology.

Conclusions:

• The introduced iSens technology offers a solution for monitoring and enhancing the performance of sustainable construction materials.
• These sensors are widely applicable and represent a significant advancement towards the Internet of Things in construction.
• iSens technology facilitates cost reduction through optimized material usage and process efficiency.