Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges
A deeply interconnected flexible transducer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) was obtained as a material for the application of soft robotics. Firstly, transducers were developed by crosslinking PEDOT:PSS with 3-glycidyloxypropryl-tr...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Functional Biomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/13/3/135 |
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| author | Maria Antonia Cassa Martina Maselli Alice Zoso Valeria Chiono Letizia Fracchia Chiara Ceresa Gianluca Ciardelli Matteo Cianchetti Irene Carmagnola |
| author_facet | Maria Antonia Cassa Martina Maselli Alice Zoso Valeria Chiono Letizia Fracchia Chiara Ceresa Gianluca Ciardelli Matteo Cianchetti Irene Carmagnola |
| author_sort | Maria Antonia Cassa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A deeply interconnected flexible transducer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) was obtained as a material for the application of soft robotics. Firstly, transducers were developed by crosslinking PEDOT:PSS with 3-glycidyloxypropryl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) (1, 2 and 3% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) and using freeze-drying to obtain porous sponges. The PEDOT:PSS sponges were morphologically characterized, showing porosities mainly between 200 and 600 µm<sup>2</sup>; such surface area dimensions tend to decrease with increasing degrees of crosslinking. A stability test confirmed a good endurance for up to 28 days for the higher concentrations of the crosslinker tested. Consecutively, the sponges were electromechanically characterized, showing a repeatable and linear resistance variation by the pressure triggers within the limits of their working range (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mfrac><mrow><mo>∆</mo><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mi>R</mi><mn>0</mn></msub></mrow></mfrac><mo> </mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> max = 80% for 1–2% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> of GPTMS). The sponges containing 1% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> of GPTMS were intertwined with a silicon elastomer to increase their elasticity and water stability. The flexible transducer obtained with this method exhibited moderately lower sensibility and repeatability than the PEDOT:PSS sponges, but the piezoresistive response remained stable under mechanical compression. Furthermore, the transducer displayed a linear behavior when stressed within the limits of its working range. Therefore, it is still valid for pressure sensing and contact detection applications. Lastly, the flexible transducer was submitted to preliminary biological tests that indicate a potential for safe, in vivo sensing applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:33:55Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4983 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:33:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
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| series | Journal of Functional Biomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-30dbbc9af0504af8ad30d442e5fab4f32023-11-23T17:03:39ZengMDPI AGJournal of Functional Biomaterials2079-49832022-08-0113313510.3390/jfb13030135Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS SpongesMaria Antonia Cassa0Martina Maselli1Alice Zoso2Valeria Chiono3Letizia Fracchia4Chiara Ceresa5Gianluca Ciardelli6Matteo Cianchetti7Irene Carmagnola8Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, ItalyDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università del Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyA deeply interconnected flexible transducer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) was obtained as a material for the application of soft robotics. Firstly, transducers were developed by crosslinking PEDOT:PSS with 3-glycidyloxypropryl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) (1, 2 and 3% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) and using freeze-drying to obtain porous sponges. The PEDOT:PSS sponges were morphologically characterized, showing porosities mainly between 200 and 600 µm<sup>2</sup>; such surface area dimensions tend to decrease with increasing degrees of crosslinking. A stability test confirmed a good endurance for up to 28 days for the higher concentrations of the crosslinker tested. Consecutively, the sponges were electromechanically characterized, showing a repeatable and linear resistance variation by the pressure triggers within the limits of their working range (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mfrac><mrow><mo>∆</mo><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><msub><mi>R</mi><mn>0</mn></msub></mrow></mfrac><mo> </mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> max = 80% for 1–2% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> of GPTMS). The sponges containing 1% <i>v</i>/<i>v</i> of GPTMS were intertwined with a silicon elastomer to increase their elasticity and water stability. The flexible transducer obtained with this method exhibited moderately lower sensibility and repeatability than the PEDOT:PSS sponges, but the piezoresistive response remained stable under mechanical compression. Furthermore, the transducer displayed a linear behavior when stressed within the limits of its working range. Therefore, it is still valid for pressure sensing and contact detection applications. Lastly, the flexible transducer was submitted to preliminary biological tests that indicate a potential for safe, in vivo sensing applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/13/3/135biomaterials engineeringpiezoresistive materialsoft and flexible transducerinterconnected networks |
| spellingShingle | Maria Antonia Cassa Martina Maselli Alice Zoso Valeria Chiono Letizia Fracchia Chiara Ceresa Gianluca Ciardelli Matteo Cianchetti Irene Carmagnola Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges Journal of Functional Biomaterials biomaterials engineering piezoresistive material soft and flexible transducer interconnected networks |
| title | Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges |
| title_full | Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges |
| title_fullStr | Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges |
| title_short | Development of an Innovative Soft Piezoresistive Biomaterial Based on the Interconnection of Elastomeric PDMS Networks and Electrically-Conductive PEDOT:PSS Sponges |
| title_sort | development of an innovative soft piezoresistive biomaterial based on the interconnection of elastomeric pdms networks and electrically conductive pedot pss sponges |
| topic | biomaterials engineering piezoresistive material soft and flexible transducer interconnected networks |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/13/3/135 |
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