Laser Direct Writing of Ultrahigh Sensitive SiC‐Based Strain Sensor Arrays on Elastomer toward Electronic Skins

Abstract

Electronic skins (e-skins) have been widely investigated as important platforms for healthcare monitoring, human/machine interfaces, and soft robots. However, mask-free formation of patterned active materials on elastomer substrates without involving high-cost and complicate processes is still a grand challenge in developing e-skins. Here, SiC-based strain sensor arrays are fabricated on elastomer for e-skins by a laser direct writing (LDW) technique, which is mask-free, highly efficient, and scalable. The direct synthesis of active material on elastomer is ascribed to the LDW-induced conversion of siloxanes to SiC. The SiC-based devices own a highest sensitivity of ≈2.47 × 10 5 achieved at a laser power of 0.8 W and a scanning velocity of 1.25 mm s −1 . Moreover, the LDW-developed device provides a minimum strain detection limit of 0.05%, a small temperature drift, and a high mechanical durability for over 10 000 cycles. When it is mounted onto human skins, the SiC-based device is able to monitor external stimuli and human health conditions, with the capability of wireless data transmission. Its potential application in e-skins is further proved by an LDW-fabricated device having 3 × 3 SiC sensor array for tactile sensing.

Wearable and Stretchable Strain Sensors: Materials, Sensing Mechanisms, and Applications

“…Laser direct writing (LDW) has been recently introduced as an effective and scalable process for the manufacturing of wearable sensors. [154][155][156][157][158] For instance, LDW was used to develop stretchable strain sensor arrays by turning Ecoflex elastomer into silicon carbide conductive patterns through the localized laser irradiation. [158] Apart from the polymeric supporting materials, natural fibers, yarns, and fabrics have been activated by conductive materials through techniques such as carbonization process, dip-coating, bar coating, ultrasonication, and vacuum filtration.…”

“…[154][155][156][157][158] For instance, LDW was used to develop stretchable strain sensor arrays by turning Ecoflex elastomer into silicon carbide conductive patterns through the localized laser irradiation. [158] Apart from the polymeric supporting materials, natural fibers, yarns, and fabrics have been activated by conductive materials through techniques such as carbonization process, dip-coating, bar coating, ultrasonication, and vacuum filtration. [23,[143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150]152,[159][160][161][162][163] Carbonization is a well-established process where carbonaceous substances such as natural fibers are broken down into elemental carbon and chemical compounds by heating ( Figure 4a).…”

Tunable Thermal-Response Shape Memory Bio-Polymer Hydrogels as Body Motion Sensors

“…During the past decade, flexible electronic devices have earned great achievements and attracted much interests, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] especially the stretching sensor which has been greatly developed in wearable electronics devices, [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] flexible luminescence devices [15][16][17][18] and soft robotics. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Among different kinds of stretching sensor, ionic conductive hydrogel stretching sensor is considered to be the best materials for the human body motion sensor, due to the good electrochemical performance [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] and controllable mechanical properties.…”

Synthesis of silicon carbide nanocrystals and multilayer graphitic carbon by femtosecond laser irradiation of polydimethylsiloxane

“…The product formed by modication of polymers is also not limited to graphitic carbon. There have been reports regarding the fabrication of advanced ceramic materials, such as titanium carbonitride (Ti(C,N)), 11 silicon carbonitride (Si(C,N)), 12,13 and silicon carbide (SiC), 14,15 from organometallic polymers. For example, Jakubenas et al reported the modication of polycarbosilane (PCS), an organosilane polymer, into crystalline 3C-SiC (b-SiC) using a $10.6 mm continuous wave (CW) CO 2 laser.…”