Stretch Sensor: Development of Biodegradable Film.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Biodegradable materials are increasingly sought for sustainable electronic devices.
• Stretchable sensors are crucial for applications like wearable electronics and human-machine interfaces.
• Piezoresistive sensors offer a direct method for detecting mechanical strain through electrical resistance changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel biodegradable stretch sensor utilizing a composite material.
• To investigate the influence of iron oxide microparticles on the mechanical and sensing properties of a κ-carrageenan-based material.
• To design and characterize a functional piezoresistive stretch sensor for force measurement.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a biodegradable composite film using κ-carrageenan, glycerol, and varying weight fractions of Fe2O3 microparticles.
• Experimental investigation of mechanical properties, including tensile strength and Young's modulus, as a function of Fe2O3 content.
• Characterization of the piezoresistive behavior (GF values) and sensor performance (sensitivity, stability, range).

Main Results:

• Increasing Fe2O3 microparticle content enhanced Young's modulus and tensile strength while reducing elongation percentage.
• The gauge factor (GF) of the developed films ranged from 0.67 to 10.47, demonstrating tunable piezoresistive sensitivity.
• The composite material achieved significant improvements in mechanical properties, enabling elongation up to 10% with appropriate Fe2O3 incorporation.

Conclusions:

• The developed κ-carrageenan/Fe2O3 composite is a promising material for biodegradable stretch sensors.
• The mechanical and piezoresistive properties can be effectively tuned by adjusting the Fe2O3 microparticle content.
• The sensor demonstrates potential for reliable force measurement applications due to its sensitivity, stability, and range.