EurekAlert August 7, 2024
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an encapsulated stretchable amphibious strain sensor. They sandwiched conductive layer made of silver nanowires embedded below the surface of polydimethylsiloxane by two layers of thermoplastic polyurethane. They introduced periodic sharp cuts to change the direction of flow from across the sensor to along the conductive path defined by the opening cracks. The crack advancing and opening was controlled by a unique combination of weak/strong interfaces within the sandwich structure. The strain sensor exhibited a high gauge factor, excellent robustness against over-strain, and stability after 16 000 loading cycles and 20 days in an aqueous saline solution. The functionality of the sensor was demonstrated by tracking the motion of a robotic fish, illustrating the promising potential for this strain sensor for both underwater use and surgically implantable applications… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Electrical performance of the strain sensors under applied strain. Credit: Materials Horizons, 2024, Advance Article