Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T00:11:53.006Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Strain Transduction in Conductor-Modified Polymers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Eerik T. Hantsoo
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Vanessa B. Chial
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Yanan Zhao
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Kevin C. Chan
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Klint A. Rose
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Kenneth S. Wu
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Beth L. Pruitt
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, CA, USA
Get access

Abstract

We present the fabrication and electromechanical characterization of a class of polymeric high-elongation strain sensors. Samples of polydimethylsiloxane were coated with Creative Materials, Inc.'s 123-27 Electrically Conductive Silicone Ink and the resistance behavior was evaluated in uniaxial tensile tests. Large strains (up to 100%) were observed with monotonically increasing resistance changes. A clear, linear trend up to 65% strain dominated the resistance vs. strain behavior then resistance increased non-linearly. Image processing of the film coupled with a finite element conduction simulation indicate the change in resistance is primarily a geometric effect. Both the conduction path and the polydimethylsiloxane substrate break completely around 100% strain. The samples exhibit a gauge factor of approximately 10.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1http://www.tam.uiuc.edu/courses/TAM326/2000.1/Lectures/strain_gages.pdfGoogle Scholar
2 Engel, J., Chen, J., Bullen, D., and Liu, C., “Polyurethane Rubber as a MEMS Material: Characterization and Demonstration of an All-Polymer Two-Axis Artificial Haircell Flow Sensor,” 18th IEEE International Conference on MEMS (January 2005), Miami Beach, FL.Google Scholar
3 Yang, G.Y., Bailey, V.J., , G.L., Tang, W.C., Keyak, J.H., “Design of Microfabricated Strain Gauge Array to Monitor Bone Deformation In Vitro and In Vivo,” IEEE Fourth Symposium on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE 2004), Taichung, Taiwan, May 19 - 21, 2004.Google Scholar
4 Lacour, S., Wagner, S., Huang, Z., and Suo, Z., “Stretchable gold conductors on elastomeric substrates,” Applied Physics Letters, v. 82, no. 15, 2003, pp. 24042406.Google Scholar
5 Armani, D., Liu, C., “Re-configurable Fluid Circuits By PDMS Elastomer Micromachining”, 12th International Conference on MEMS, MEMS99, pp. 222227, Orland, FL, 1998.Google Scholar
6 Xia, Y. and Whitesides, G.M., “Soft Lithography,” Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, 37, 1998, pp. 550575.Google Scholar