An inkjet-printed, flexible, ultra-broadband nanocomposite film sensor for in-situ acquisition of high-frequency dynamic strains

Abstract

We present an ultralight, flexible, nanocomposite film sensor manufactured using a drop-on-demand inkjet printing approach which leverages the integrated inks directly on flexible polyimide substrates. The ink – a hybrid of nanocomposites embracing carbon black nanoparticles and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, is rigorously designed and morphologically optimized to be stable, printable and wettable. The printed film sensor has proven capability of in-situ, precisely responding to dynamic strains in a broad range from quasi-static strain, through medium-frequency vibration, to ultrasounds up to 500 kHz. This is first ever an inkjet-printed piezoresistive sensor responds to dynamic strains in such a broad band and an ultrasound of such high frequencies. Sensitivity of the sensors can be fine-tuned by adjusting the degree of conductivity via controlling the printed passes, endowing the sensors with capacity of resonating to strains of a particular frequency, authenticating inkjet-printed nanocomposite sensors can be tailor-made to accommodate specific signal acquisition demands.