Self-healing platform unit for pressure and analyte sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11092563-B2
Application number	US-201615751317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2016
Priority date	Aug 17, 2015
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides a self-healing platform unit for pressure and analyte sensing, and a method for fabrication thereof, the platform unit comprising a self-healing substrate comprising a dynamically crosslinked polymer comprising polymeric chains and crosslinking bridges; at least one self-healing electrode comprising a non-crosslinked polymer and metal microparticles dispersed therein, wherein the at least one self-healing electrode is deposited on the substrate; and at least one sensor comprising metal nanoparticles capped with an organic coating, wherein the at least one sensor is deposited on the substrate and is in electric contact with the at least one self-healing electrode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-healing platform unit for pressure and analyte sensing, the platform unit comprising:
a self-healing substrate comprising a dynamically crosslinked polymer comprising polymeric chains, comprising a poly(urea-urethane), and crosslinking bridges;
at least one self-healing electrode comprising a non-crosslinked polymer and metal microparticles dispersed therein, wherein the at least one self-healing electrode is deposited on the substrate; and
at least one sensor comprising metal nanoparticles capped with an organic coating, wherein the at least one sensor is deposited on the substrate and is in electric contact with the at least one self-healing electrode.

2. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the volume ratio between the metal microparticles and the non-crosslinked polymer is from about 1:15 to about 1:2.

3. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking bridges comprise disulfide moieties.

4. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the poly(urea-urethane) comprises a polyether backbone segment, having a molecular weight of at least about 2000 g/mole.

5. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 4 , wherein the polyether is polypropylene glycol.

6. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the self-healing substrate has a thickness ranging from about 0.5 to about 10 mm.

7. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the non-crosslinked polymer comprises a polyurethane having a molecular weight in the range of about 100 g/mole to about 500 g/mole.

8. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 7 , wherein said polyurethane is a polyurethane diol comprising a backbone selected from the group consisting of polyolefin, polyester, polyacrylate, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polybutadiene, and combinations thereof.

9. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the metal microparticles are selected from the group consisting of Ag, Ni, Cu, Au, Pt, Al, and combinations thereof, wherein the metal microparticles have a mean particles size ranging from about 1 μm to about 20 μm.

10. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 9 , wherein said metal microparticles are Ag microparticles.

11. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles are arranged in a film configuration, wherein the film has a thickness ranging from about 1 nm to about 500 nm.

12. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ni, Co, Pt, Pd, Cu, Al, Zn, Fe, and combinations thereof or, wherein the metal nanoparticles are metal alloys selected from the group consisting of Au/Ag, Au/Cu, Au/Ag/Cu, Au/Pt, Au/Pd, Au/Ag/Cu/Pd, Pt/Rh, Ni/Co, and Pt/Ni/Fe.

13. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the organic coating comprises compounds selected from the group consisting of alkylthiols, arylthiols, alkylarylthiols, alkylthiolates, ω-functionalized alkanethiolates, arenethiolates, (γ-mercaptopropyl)tri-methyloxysilane, dialkyl disulfides and combinations and derivatives thereof.

14. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured in a form selected from the group consisting of a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a chemiresistive sensor, an impedance sensor, a field effect transistor sensor, a strain gauge and combinations thereof.

15. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect an analyte adsorption thereon and to generate a signal in response thereto, wherein the analyte is a volatile organic compound (VOC) selected from the group consisting of benzaldehyde, hexane, hexanal, ethyl hexanol, octane, octanol, trimethylbenzene, and combinations thereof.

16. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the self-healing substrate is substantially flexible and the at least one sensor is configured to generate an electrical signal which is proportional to the amount of deflection of the substantially flexible substrate.

17. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises dual pressure and analyte sensing sensitivities.

18. The self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , integrated on electronic or artificial skin surface.

19. A method for fabricating the self-healing platform unit according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
a. preparing the self-healing substrate;
b. preparing a self-healing electrically conductive paste;
c. depositing the self-healing electrically conductive paste on the substrate, thereby obtaining the at least one self-healing electrode; and
d. depositing the at least one sensor on the substrate, wherein the at least one sensor is in electric contact with the at least one self-healing electrode.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the step of preparing the self-healing substrate comprises mixing 4-aminophenyl disulfide with poly(propylene glycol), tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate terminated.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the step of preparing the self-healing electronically conductive paste comprises dispersing metal microparticles in a polyurethane diol solution and degassing under vacuum for at least about 15 minutes.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the step of depositing the at least one sensor comprises applying a solution comprising the metal nanoparticles capped with an organic coating, wherein the concentration of said metal nanoparticles in the solution is at least about 30 mg/mL.

Assignees

• Technion Res & Dev Foundation

Inventors

• Haick Hossam
• Huynh Tan-Phat

Classifications

• G01N27/00

  Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means (G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R) · CPC title

• B82Y15/00

  Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors · CPC title

• C08K2201/005

  Additives being defined by their particle size in general · CPC title

• G01N27/127

  comprising nanoparticles · CPC title

• C08L75/08

  from polyethers · CPC title