Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites
In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyurethane (PU)-based shape-stabilized copolymer nanocomposites were synthesized and utilized for developing low-cost and flexible temperature sensors. PU was utilized as a flexible structural material for loading a thermosensitive phase change PEG poly...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/2/197 |
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| author | Amit Kumar Pen-Yi Hsieh Muhammad Omar Shaikh R. K. Rakesh Kumar Cheng-Hsin Chuang |
| author_facet | Amit Kumar Pen-Yi Hsieh Muhammad Omar Shaikh R. K. Rakesh Kumar Cheng-Hsin Chuang |
| author_sort | Amit Kumar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyurethane (PU)-based shape-stabilized copolymer nanocomposites were synthesized and utilized for developing low-cost and flexible temperature sensors. PU was utilized as a flexible structural material for loading a thermosensitive phase change PEG polymer by means of physical mixing and chemical crosslinking. Furthermore, the introduction of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a conductive filler in the PEG-PU copolymer resulted in a nanocomposite with thermoresistive properties. MWCNT loading concentrations from 2 wt.% to 10 wt.% were investigated, to attain the optimum conductivity of the nanocomposite. Additionally, the effect of MWCNT loading concentration on the thermosensitive behavior of the nanocomposite was analyzed in the temperature range 25 °C to 50 °C. The thermosensitive properties of the physically mixed and crosslinked polymeric nanocomposites were compared by spin coating the respective nanocomposites on screen printed interdigitated (IDT) electrodes, to fabricate the temperature sensor. The chemically crosslinked MWCNT-PEG-PU polymeric nanocomposite showed an improved thermosensitive behavior in the range 25 °C to 50 °C, compared to the physically mixed nanocomposite. The detailed structural, morphological, thermal, and phase transition properties of the nanocomposites were investigated using XRD, FTIR, and DSC analysis. XRD and FTIR were used to analyze the crystallinity and PEG-PU bonding of the copolymer nanocomposite, respectively; while the dual phase (solid–liquid) transition of PEG was analyzed using DSC. The proposed nanocomposite-based flexible temperature sensor demonstrated excellent sensitivity, reliability and shows promise for a wide range of bio-robotic and healthcare applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:25:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57bf9fb3d2614fb6be4334d67294c80d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:25:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-57bf9fb3d2614fb6be4334d67294c80d2023-11-23T21:10:08ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2022-01-0113219710.3390/mi13020197Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer NanocompositesAmit Kumar0Pen-Yi Hsieh1Muhammad Omar Shaikh2R. K. Rakesh Kumar3Cheng-Hsin Chuang4Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, TaiwanSustainability Science and Engineering Program, Tunghai University, Taichung 407224, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, TaiwanInstitute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, TaiwanIn this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyurethane (PU)-based shape-stabilized copolymer nanocomposites were synthesized and utilized for developing low-cost and flexible temperature sensors. PU was utilized as a flexible structural material for loading a thermosensitive phase change PEG polymer by means of physical mixing and chemical crosslinking. Furthermore, the introduction of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a conductive filler in the PEG-PU copolymer resulted in a nanocomposite with thermoresistive properties. MWCNT loading concentrations from 2 wt.% to 10 wt.% were investigated, to attain the optimum conductivity of the nanocomposite. Additionally, the effect of MWCNT loading concentration on the thermosensitive behavior of the nanocomposite was analyzed in the temperature range 25 °C to 50 °C. The thermosensitive properties of the physically mixed and crosslinked polymeric nanocomposites were compared by spin coating the respective nanocomposites on screen printed interdigitated (IDT) electrodes, to fabricate the temperature sensor. The chemically crosslinked MWCNT-PEG-PU polymeric nanocomposite showed an improved thermosensitive behavior in the range 25 °C to 50 °C, compared to the physically mixed nanocomposite. The detailed structural, morphological, thermal, and phase transition properties of the nanocomposites were investigated using XRD, FTIR, and DSC analysis. XRD and FTIR were used to analyze the crystallinity and PEG-PU bonding of the copolymer nanocomposite, respectively; while the dual phase (solid–liquid) transition of PEG was analyzed using DSC. The proposed nanocomposite-based flexible temperature sensor demonstrated excellent sensitivity, reliability and shows promise for a wide range of bio-robotic and healthcare applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/2/197temperature sensorthermosensitiveMWCNTcopolymer nanocomposites |
| spellingShingle | Amit Kumar Pen-Yi Hsieh Muhammad Omar Shaikh R. K. Rakesh Kumar Cheng-Hsin Chuang Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites Micromachines temperature sensor thermosensitive MWCNT copolymer nanocomposites |
| title | Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites |
| title_full | Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites |
| title_fullStr | Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites |
| title_short | Flexible Temperature Sensor Utilizing MWCNT Doped PEG-PU Copolymer Nanocomposites |
| title_sort | flexible temperature sensor utilizing mwcnt doped peg pu copolymer nanocomposites |
| topic | temperature sensor thermosensitive MWCNT copolymer nanocomposites |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/13/2/197 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amitkumar flexibletemperaturesensorutilizingmwcntdopedpegpucopolymernanocomposites AT penyihsieh flexibletemperaturesensorutilizingmwcntdopedpegpucopolymernanocomposites AT muhammadomarshaikh flexibletemperaturesensorutilizingmwcntdopedpegpucopolymernanocomposites AT rkrakeshkumar flexibletemperaturesensorutilizingmwcntdopedpegpucopolymernanocomposites AT chenghsinchuang flexibletemperaturesensorutilizingmwcntdopedpegpucopolymernanocomposites |