Process Parameters and Geometry Effects on Piezoresistivity in Additively Manufactured Polymer Sensors
Marijn Goutier1, Karl Hilbig1, Thomas Vietor1
1Institute for Engineering Design, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38108 Brunswick, Germany.
Polymers
|May 13, 2023
Summary
This study optimized additively manufactured piezoresistive sensors. Adjusting infill angle and layer height significantly reduced initial resistance and improved the gauge factor for enhanced sensor performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Piezoresistive sensors are crucial for various applications.
- Optimizing their performance through additive manufacturing requires understanding parameter effects.
- Conductive polymer composites offer tunable properties for sensor development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally determine the influence of material, design, and process parameters on additively manufactured piezoresistive sensors.
- To identify key parameters affecting initial resistance and gauge factor.
- To establish relationships between manufacturing variables and sensor performance.
Main Methods:
- Tensile testing of sensors fabricated with varying infill angles, layer heights, and thicknesses.
- Utilizing two distinct conductive polymer composites.
- Applying linear regression models to analyze parameter significance and interactions.
Main Results:
- Initial resistance strongly correlated with sensor geometry (cross-sectional area).
- Layer height and infill angle significantly reduced initial resistance (22.3%–66.5% reduction).
- Gauge factor was primarily influenced by infill angle and layer height, with improvements of 30.7%–114.6%.
Conclusions:
- Additive manufacturing parameters critically impact piezoresistive sensor performance.
- Optimized infill angles and layer heights enhance gauge factor beyond initial resistance increases.
- This research provides a pathway for designing high-performance, additively manufactured piezoresistive sensors.
