Conducting Polymers for the Design of Tactile Sensors

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the application of conducting polymers (CPs) used in the design of tactile sensors. While conducting polymers can be used as a base in a variety of forms, such as films, particles, matrices, and fillers, the CPs generally remain the same. This paper, first, discusses the chemical and physical properties of conducting polymers. Next, it discusses how these polymers might be involved in the conversion of mechanical effects (such as pressure, force, tension, mass, displacement, deformation, torque, crack, creep, and others) into a change in electrical resistance through a charge transfer mechanism for tactile sensing. Polypyrrole, polyaniline, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), polydimethylsiloxane, and polyacetylene, as well as application examples of conducting polymers in tactile sensors, are overviewed. Attention is paid to the additives used in tactile sensor development, together with conducting polymers. There is a long list of additives and composites, used for different purposes, namely: cotton, polyurethane, PDMS, fabric, Ecoflex, Velostat, MXenes, and different forms of carbon such as graphene, MWCNT, etc. Some design aspects of the tactile sensor are highlighted. The charge transfer and operation principles of tactile sensors are discussed. Finally, some methods which have been applied for the design of sensors based on conductive polymers, are reviewed and discussed.

Progress in Microtopography Optimization of Polymers-Based Pressure/Strain Sensors

“…Various highly elastic polymeric materials have been selected as flexible substrates/dielectric layers as well as sensing materials and electrodes to assemble flexible pressure sensors due to their excellent deformability and simple manufacturing processes, including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) [ 17 ], poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) [ 17 ], polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) [ 18 ], polyethylene (PEN) [ 19 ], polyethylene terephthalate (PET) [ 20 ], polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) [ 21 ], polyimide (PI) [ 12 ], polyurethane (PU) [ 22 ], polycarbonate (PC) [ 23 ], Ecoflex [ 24 ], epoxy [ 25 ], etc. Other conductive polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy) [ 26 ], polyaniline (PANI) [ 27 ], and hybrid poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) [ 28 , 29 ] have shown higher electrical conductivity and excellent mechanical flexibility as wearable pressure sensors [ 30 ].…”

Application of 4D printing and bioprinting in cardiovascular tissue engineering

“…These polymers can be utilized for applications such as electrical stimulation in tissue engineering, controlled drug delivery, and biosensors. 62,63 Piezoelectric materials, on the other hand, generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress or deformation. They possess a crystalline structure with an asymmetric arrangement of positive and negative charges.…”

Phenylboronic acid conjugated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) coated Ag dendrite for electrochemical non-enzymatic glucose sensing

“…). 29–33 Previously, we developed polythiophene modified by phenylboronic acid derivatives to detect glucose and discussed the effect of the structure of phenylboronic acid on the response to glucose. 27 However, the effect of surface topography on glucose sensing has not been thoroughly studied.…”

“…28 Among them, conductive polymers are widely used in biological/chemical sensing and bioelectronics owing to their electronic and ionic conductivity, mechanical flexibility, easy coating, and easy grafting of biomolecules (i.e., cells, antibodies/ antigens, enzymes, etc.). [29][30][31][32][33] Previously, we developed polythiophene modified by phenylboronic acid derivatives to detect glucose and discussed the effect of the structure of phenylboronic acid on the response to glucose. 27 However, the effect of surface topography on glucose sensing has not been thoroughly studied.…”