Highlights Nanocrystalline pseudbrookite thick films  High humidity sensing  Fast response  Short time delay

International audienceThis paper presents a new design of a planar transformer. Over the surface of a flat core, meander-type design was engraved, so that symmetrically adjusted primary and secondary coils, of the same meander-type, can fit into the engraved design. Primary and secondary coils were covered with another flat core consequently forming a compact planar transformer. Windings of primary and secondary coils are printed on both sides of PCB. Conductive stripes of a winding from upper and bottom layer are connected by vias. The transformer was analyzed when the primary and secondary coils were without a core and with a core. High frequency parameters of the transformer were obtained by finite element modeling software and Impedance Analyzer HP4194A in the frequency range from 50 kHz to 1 MHz. The transformer is intended to be used in DC-DC converters (for switching frequency up to several hundred kHz)

This paper describes an innovative design of a wireless, passive LC sensor and its application for monitoring of water content in building materials. The sensor was embedded in test material samples so that the internal water content of the samples could be measured with an antenna by tracking the changes in the sensor’s resonant frequency. Since the dielectric constant of water was much higher compared with that of the test samples, the presence of water in the samples increased the capacitance of the LC circuit, thus decreasing the sensor’s resonant frequency. The sensor is made up of a printed circuit board in one metal layer and water content has been determined for clay brick and autoclaved aerated concrete block, both widely used construction materials. Measurements were conducted at room temperature using a HP-4194A Impedance/Gain-Phase Analyzer instrument.

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Iron manganite (FeMnO 3 ) powder with a cubic (bixbyite, ̅ ) crystal structure was obtained by a solid state reaction. Thick film paste (powder + organic vehicles) was screen printed on alumina substrate with test interdigitated PdAg electrodes. Significant porosity (60.6%) composed of macropores (larger than 100 nm) was determined by Hg porosimetry, changing only slightly from the first extrusion run indicating a stable pore system. Hg porosimetry evaluation of thick film samples enabled estimation of true textural parameters of the thick film compared to powder. Impedance response of the thick film sensor was monitored in a humidity chamber in the relative humidity range 30-90%, at room temperature (25 o C) and frequency range from 42 Hz to 1 MHz. At 100 Hz the impedance reduced from 10.41 MΩ to 0.68 MΩ for relative humidity of 30 and 90%, respectively. Analysis of complex impedance using an equivalent circuit showed the dominant influence of grain boundaries. The sensor response and recovery was fast (several seconds) and a relatively low hysteresis value of 2.8% was obtained.

The use of papers as substrates in the process of manufacturing flexible electronic components is urgently required to obtain cost-effective products as well as to expand the potential applications of such components. This study aimed to examine the suitability of three different types of paper for sensor applications using an inkjet printing process. Three types of paper (denoted as Types 1, 2, and 3) designed for specific applications in printed electronics were selected and entirely characterized in terms of microscopic and macroscopic properties, such as internal fibers structure, cross-sectional layer structure, surface roughness, and hardness. Dot arrays were printed on these three types of paper to determine how the papers absorb silver ink and which one is the best substrate for manufacturing printed electronic components. After a comprehensive analysis, the paper that exhibited the best feature was further studied as a substrate for printing interdigitated electrodes to develop a humidity sensor. The Type 2 paper-based sensor demonstrated the variation in capacitance in the range from 9.4 to 10.6 pF while changing the relative humidity (RH) from 40 to 90%. Thus, Type 2 has the great potential for application in flexible sensors, suggesting the possibility of industrial scalability and mass production of inexpensive, biodegradable, and conformable electronic components.

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