TY - JOUR
T1 - Highly sensitive and flexible micro-patterned PPy/PDMS strain sensors with enhanced conductivity and stretchability for wearable electronics
AU - Muhammad, Waqar
AU - Kim, Sam Dong
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2024/8/20
Y1 - 2024/8/20
N2 - This study presents a pioneering approach to enhance the performance of flexible strain sensors based on polypyrrole (PPy) by incorporating micro-patterns onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Micro-patterned PPy films were generated through image-reversal photolithography and pattern lift-off followed by a straightforward chemical oxidative polymerization process to deposit the films. A method of surface treatment using the dopant sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) was also used to enhance the conductivity of the degraded PPy films after the formation of patterns. We conducted a systematic exploration of various fabrication conditions, including unpatterned and three micro-patterned variants. Utilizing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, we investigated the interplay between SDBS treatment, structural modifications, and strain sensor performance. Our results unveiled that micro-patterned sensors treated with SDBS and capped by PDMS layer showed remarkable performance attributes. The sensors fabricated by this method exhibited a gauge factor of 35 at 100 % strain, coupled with a very fast response time of ∼2.8 ms under quasi-step function strain ranging from 0 to 1 % in 1.8 ms, demonstrating excellent durability across 500 stretching/release cycles. This study provides invaluable insights into enhancing the effectiveness of micro-patterned PPy/PDMS strain sensors, opening avenues for their widespread utilization in wearable electronics.
AB - This study presents a pioneering approach to enhance the performance of flexible strain sensors based on polypyrrole (PPy) by incorporating micro-patterns onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Micro-patterned PPy films were generated through image-reversal photolithography and pattern lift-off followed by a straightforward chemical oxidative polymerization process to deposit the films. A method of surface treatment using the dopant sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) was also used to enhance the conductivity of the degraded PPy films after the formation of patterns. We conducted a systematic exploration of various fabrication conditions, including unpatterned and three micro-patterned variants. Utilizing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, we investigated the interplay between SDBS treatment, structural modifications, and strain sensor performance. Our results unveiled that micro-patterned sensors treated with SDBS and capped by PDMS layer showed remarkable performance attributes. The sensors fabricated by this method exhibited a gauge factor of 35 at 100 % strain, coupled with a very fast response time of ∼2.8 ms under quasi-step function strain ranging from 0 to 1 % in 1.8 ms, demonstrating excellent durability across 500 stretching/release cycles. This study provides invaluable insights into enhancing the effectiveness of micro-patterned PPy/PDMS strain sensors, opening avenues for their widespread utilization in wearable electronics.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197276521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.polymer.2024.127356
DO - 10.1016/j.polymer.2024.127356
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85197276521
SN - 0032-3861
VL - 308
JO - Polymer
JF - Polymer
M1 - 127356
ER -