3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors
The increasing interest in wearable devices for health monitoring, illness prevention, and human motion detection has driven research towards developing novel and cost-effective solutions for highly sensitive flexible sensors. The objective of this work is to develop innovative piezoresistive pressu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/16/7054 |
| _version_ | 1797583282344296448 |
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| author | Marco Fortunato Luca Pacitto Nicola Pesce Alessio Tamburrano |
| author_facet | Marco Fortunato Luca Pacitto Nicola Pesce Alessio Tamburrano |
| author_sort | Marco Fortunato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing interest in wearable devices for health monitoring, illness prevention, and human motion detection has driven research towards developing novel and cost-effective solutions for highly sensitive flexible sensors. The objective of this work is to develop innovative piezoresistive pressure sensors utilizing two types of 3D porous flexible open-cell foams: Grid and triply periodic minimal surface structures. These foams will be produced through a procedure involving the 3D printing of sacrificial templates, followed by infiltration with various low-viscosity polymers, leaching, and ultimately coating the pores with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Additive manufacturing enables precise control over the shape and dimensions of the structure by manipulating geometric parameters during the design phase. This control extends to the piezoresistive response of the sensors, which is achieved by infiltrating the foams with varying concentrations of a colloidal suspension of GNPs. To examine the morphology of the produced materials, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) is employed, while mechanical and piezoresistive behavior are investigated through quasi-static uniaxial compression tests. The results obtained indicate that the optimized grid-based structure sensors, manufactured using the commercial polymer Solaris, exhibit the highest sensitivity compared to other tested samples. These sensors demonstrate a maximum sensitivity of 0.088 kPa<sup>−1</sup> for pressures below 10 kPa, increasing to 0.24 kPa<sup>−1</sup> for pressures of 80 kPa. Furthermore, the developed sensors are successfully applied to measure heartbeats both before and after aerobic activity, showcasing their excellent sensitivity within the typical pressure range exerted by the heartbeat, which typically falls between 10 and 20 kPa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:36:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7a41e024920844dcaff5124a7b159800 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:36:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-7a41e024920844dcaff5124a7b1598002023-11-19T02:56:08ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-08-012316705410.3390/s231670543D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure SensorsMarco Fortunato0Luca Pacitto1Nicola Pesce2Alessio Tamburrano3Department of Astronautical, Electrical and Energy Engineering (DIAEE), Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Astronautical, Electrical and Energy Engineering (DIAEE), Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Astronautical, Electrical and Energy Engineering (DIAEE), Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Astronautical, Electrical and Energy Engineering (DIAEE), Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, ItalyThe increasing interest in wearable devices for health monitoring, illness prevention, and human motion detection has driven research towards developing novel and cost-effective solutions for highly sensitive flexible sensors. The objective of this work is to develop innovative piezoresistive pressure sensors utilizing two types of 3D porous flexible open-cell foams: Grid and triply periodic minimal surface structures. These foams will be produced through a procedure involving the 3D printing of sacrificial templates, followed by infiltration with various low-viscosity polymers, leaching, and ultimately coating the pores with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Additive manufacturing enables precise control over the shape and dimensions of the structure by manipulating geometric parameters during the design phase. This control extends to the piezoresistive response of the sensors, which is achieved by infiltrating the foams with varying concentrations of a colloidal suspension of GNPs. To examine the morphology of the produced materials, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) is employed, while mechanical and piezoresistive behavior are investigated through quasi-static uniaxial compression tests. The results obtained indicate that the optimized grid-based structure sensors, manufactured using the commercial polymer Solaris, exhibit the highest sensitivity compared to other tested samples. These sensors demonstrate a maximum sensitivity of 0.088 kPa<sup>−1</sup> for pressures below 10 kPa, increasing to 0.24 kPa<sup>−1</sup> for pressures of 80 kPa. Furthermore, the developed sensors are successfully applied to measure heartbeats both before and after aerobic activity, showcasing their excellent sensitivity within the typical pressure range exerted by the heartbeat, which typically falls between 10 and 20 kPa.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/16/70543D printingfoampressure sensorgraphenenanoplateletspiezoresistivity |
| spellingShingle | Marco Fortunato Luca Pacitto Nicola Pesce Alessio Tamburrano 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors Sensors 3D printing foam pressure sensor graphene nanoplatelets piezoresistivity |
| title | 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors |
| title_full | 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors |
| title_fullStr | 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors |
| title_full_unstemmed | 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors |
| title_short | 3D-Printed Graphene Nanoplatelets/Polymer Foams for Low/Medium-Pressure Sensors |
| title_sort | 3d printed graphene nanoplatelets polymer foams for low medium pressure sensors |
| topic | 3D printing foam pressure sensor graphene nanoplatelets piezoresistivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/16/7054 |
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