Applications Of Transparent Stretchable Strain-Pressure-Proximity Combined Sensor Based On PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT Electrodes

The transparent stretchable multifunctional sensor array can perceive and respond multiple stimuli under dynamic strains such as bending and stretching,including strain,pressure,proximity and so on,are highly desired in transparent smart electronic skin,human-machine interaction,smart robot and prosthetics.However,it is challenging to make multifunctional sensors with excellent tensile properties and transparency at the same time,mainly due to the limitation of material property and device configuration.The main problems are as follows:1.All the components of the sensor(electrode,sensitive layer,encapsulation layer,etc.)are required to be transparent and stretchable;2.It is necessary to distinguish signals of different functions,in order to achieve accurate detection of the sensing function under strain.To solve the above problems,based on transparent stretchable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS)/single-walled carbon nanotube(SWCNT)hybrid electrodes and PDMS elastomer,we fabricate the transparent stretchable multifunctional sensor array which not only realizes the multi-function detection of strain,pressure and proximity,but also realizes the accurate detection of pressure/proximity under strain.The main research contents are as follows:1.A resistive PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT strain sensor with both high sensitivity and wide range was designed based on PEDOT:PSS with high conductivity and SWCNT with high stretchability.The bimaterial conductivity-conversion sensing mechanism is proposed.The strain sensor shows high sensitivity(GF of 21.5 at 0-100%strain,the highest level among reported multifunctional sensors to date),broad detection range(150%strain),fast response(45 ms),and excellent durability(50,00 cycles).2.The stretchable capacitive PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT pressure/proximity sensor is designed and fabricated by simple laminating assembly.The pressure/proximity sensor shows high sensitivity(sensitivity of 0.1 k Pa^-1 in the pressure range of 5.5 k Pa),fast response(82 ms),and excellent durability(5000 pressure cycles,200 proximity cycles).3.The pressure/proximity detection function under discriminable strain is realized,based on transparent and stretchable PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT hybrid electrode arrays.The multifunctional sensor array can record the size,position and trajectory information of pressure and proximity stimuli in both the unstretched state and the stretched strain,and shows the promising applications of transparent stretchable PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT sensor array in the flexible stretchable e-skin.