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Self-Powered Wearable Pressure Sensors with Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties of Aligned P(VDF-TrFE)/MWCNT Composites for Monitoring Human Physiological and Muscle Motion Signs

Authors :
Aochen Wang
Ming Hu
Liwei Zhou
Xiaoyong Qiang
Source :
Nanomaterials, Vol 8, Iss 12, p 1021 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2018.

Abstract

Self-powered operation, flexibility, excellent mechanical properties, and ultra-high sensitivity are highly desired properties for pressure sensors in human health monitoring and anthropomorphic robotic systems. Piezoelectric pressure sensors, with enhanced electromechanical performance to effectively distinguish multiple mechanical stimuli (including pressing, stretching, bending, and twisting), have attracted interest to precisely acquire the weak signals of the human body. In this work, we prepared a poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)/ multi-walled carbon nanotube (P(VDF-TrFE)/MWCNT) composite by an electrospinning process and stretched it to achieve alignment of the polymer chains. The composite membrane demonstrated excellent piezoelectricy, favorable mechanical strength, and high sensitivity. The piezoelectric coefficient d33 value was approximately 50 pm/V, the Young’s modulus was ~0.986 GPa, and the sensitivity was ~540 mV/N. The resulting composite membrane was employed as a piezoelectric pressure sensor to monitor small physiological signals including pulse, breath, and small motions of muscle and joints such as swallowing, chewing, and finger and wrist movements. Moderate doping with carbon nanotubes had a positive impact on the formation of the β phase of the piezoelectric device, and the piezoelectric pressure sensor has the potential for application in health care systems and smart wearable devices.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20794991
Volume :
8
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Nanomaterials
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.2d1ab41a55a543799e614672b1a41703
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8121021