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Hybrid Printing for the Fabrication of Smart Sensors
Published on: January 31, 2019
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A Screen-Printed Metal Hybrid Composite for Wireless Wind Sensing.
Xue Qi1, Sooman Lim1
1Department of Flexible and Printable Electronics, LANL-JBNU Engineering Institute, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 26, 2022
Summary
This study presents a new wireless, screen-printable flexible strain sensor for wind sensing. The silver/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite sensor offers high sensitivity, durability, and temperature stability for energy applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Sensor Technology
- Energy Harvesting
Background:
- Wind sensing is crucial for energy conversion, necessitating advanced sensor technologies.
- Existing sensors often lack the flexibility, printability, and cost-effectiveness required for widespread adoption.
- Developing robust and easily manufacturable wind sensors is key to optimizing renewable energy systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel wireless, screen-printable flexible strain sensor system for wind sensing.
- To investigate the rheological properties of a silver/multi-walled carbon nanotube (Ag/MWCNT) composite for optimal screen printing.
- To evaluate the performance, durability, and temperature sensitivity of the fabricated flexible strain sensor.
Main Methods:
- Systematic investigation of the rheological properties of Ag/MWCNT composite to ensure printability.
- Fabrication of a flexible strain sensor using screen-printing techniques.
- Performance characterization including gauge factor, sensitivity, durability testing (6000 bending cycles), and temperature sensitivity analysis.
- Integration into an Internet of Things (IoT) system to validate wireless sensor performance against a wired sensor.
Main Results:
- The Ag/MWCNT composite exhibited high shear thinning and thixotropic behavior, enabling successful screen printing.
- The printed flexible strain sensor achieved a gauge factor (G.F.) of 2.08 with 90% sensitivity and high durability after 6000 bending cycles.
- The sensor demonstrated 98% temperature sensitivity, attributed to the intrinsic properties of the Ag/MWCNT composite.
- Wireless sensor performance in an IoT system correlated well with wired sensor data.
Conclusions:
- A cost-effective, mass-producible wireless screen-printed flexible strain sensor for wind sensing has been successfully developed.
- The Ag/MWCNT composite is suitable for fabricating high-performance, durable, and sensitive flexible sensors.
- This technology holds potential for expanding low-cost wind sensing solutions in various applications, including energy conversion and IoT systems.
