Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform
Electromechanical sensing devices, based on resins doped with carbon nanotubes, were developed by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology in order to increase design freedom and identify new future and innovative applications. The analysis of electromechanical properties was carried ou...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1106 |
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| author | Alejandro Cortés Xoan F. Sánchez-Romate Alberto Jiménez-Suárez Mónica Campo Ali Esmaeili Claudio Sbarufatti Alejandro Ureña Silvia G. Prolongo |
| author_facet | Alejandro Cortés Xoan F. Sánchez-Romate Alberto Jiménez-Suárez Mónica Campo Ali Esmaeili Claudio Sbarufatti Alejandro Ureña Silvia G. Prolongo |
| author_sort | Alejandro Cortés |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electromechanical sensing devices, based on resins doped with carbon nanotubes, were developed by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology in order to increase design freedom and identify new future and innovative applications. The analysis of electromechanical properties was carried out on specific sensors manufactured by DLP 3D printing technology with complex geometries: a spring, a three-column device and a footstep-sensing platform based on the three-column device. All of them show a great sensitivity of the measured electrical resistance to the applied load and high cyclic reproducibility, demonstrating their versatility and applicability to be implemented in numerous items in our daily lives or in industrial devices. Different types of carbon nanotubes—single-walled, double-walled and multi-walled CNTs (SWCNTs, DWCNTs, MWCNTs)—were used to evaluate the effect of their morphology on electrical and electromechanical performance. SWCNT- and DWCNT-doped nanocomposites presented a higher T<sub>g</sub> compared with MWCNT-doped nanocomposites due to a lower UV light shielding effect. This phenomenon also justifies the decrease of nanocomposite T<sub>g</sub> with the increase of CNT content in every case. The electromechanical analysis reveals that SWCNT- and DWCNT-doped nanocomposites show a higher electromechanical performance than nanocomposites doped with MWCNTs, with a slight increment of strain sensitivity in tensile conditions, but also a significant strain sensitivity gain at bending conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:00:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6b1f399d8354872a0004bcac122e408 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:00:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6b1f399d8354872a0004bcac122e4082023-11-21T17:02:25ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-04-01115110610.3390/nano11051106Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing PlatformAlejandro Cortés0Xoan F. Sánchez-Romate1Alberto Jiménez-Suárez2Mónica Campo3Ali Esmaeili4Claudio Sbarufatti5Alejandro Ureña6Silvia G. Prolongo7Materials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainMaterials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainMaterials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainMaterials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milan, ItalyMaterials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainMaterials Science and Engineering Area, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, SpainElectromechanical sensing devices, based on resins doped with carbon nanotubes, were developed by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing technology in order to increase design freedom and identify new future and innovative applications. The analysis of electromechanical properties was carried out on specific sensors manufactured by DLP 3D printing technology with complex geometries: a spring, a three-column device and a footstep-sensing platform based on the three-column device. All of them show a great sensitivity of the measured electrical resistance to the applied load and high cyclic reproducibility, demonstrating their versatility and applicability to be implemented in numerous items in our daily lives or in industrial devices. Different types of carbon nanotubes—single-walled, double-walled and multi-walled CNTs (SWCNTs, DWCNTs, MWCNTs)—were used to evaluate the effect of their morphology on electrical and electromechanical performance. SWCNT- and DWCNT-doped nanocomposites presented a higher T<sub>g</sub> compared with MWCNT-doped nanocomposites due to a lower UV light shielding effect. This phenomenon also justifies the decrease of nanocomposite T<sub>g</sub> with the increase of CNT content in every case. The electromechanical analysis reveals that SWCNT- and DWCNT-doped nanocomposites show a higher electromechanical performance than nanocomposites doped with MWCNTs, with a slight increment of strain sensitivity in tensile conditions, but also a significant strain sensitivity gain at bending conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1106multifunctional compositessmart materialssensing3D printingcarbon nanotubes |
| spellingShingle | Alejandro Cortés Xoan F. Sánchez-Romate Alberto Jiménez-Suárez Mónica Campo Ali Esmaeili Claudio Sbarufatti Alejandro Ureña Silvia G. Prolongo Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform Nanomaterials multifunctional composites smart materials sensing 3D printing carbon nanotubes |
| title | Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform |
| title_full | Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform |
| title_fullStr | Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform |
| title_short | Complex Geometry Strain Sensors Based on 3D Printed Nanocomposites: Spring, Three-Column Device and Footstep-Sensing Platform |
| title_sort | complex geometry strain sensors based on 3d printed nanocomposites spring three column device and footstep sensing platform |
| topic | multifunctional composites smart materials sensing 3D printing carbon nanotubes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/5/1106 |
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