Multi-purpose sensors using conductive Iono-elastomers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525842-B2
Application number	US-201816014906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A sensor module includes a first contact, a second contact, and a sensing element made from an iono-conductive material having a conductivity that varies at least in response to variations in an environmental factor. The sensing element is electrically coupled to the first contact and to the second contact, and a first resistance of the sensing element, measured between the first contact and the second contact, varies in response to the variations in the environmental factor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor module comprising:
a first contact;
a second contact;
a third contact; and
one or more sensing elements electrically coupling the first contact, the second contact, and the third contact, the one or more sensing elements made from an iono-elastomer having a conductivity that varies at least in response to changes in strain or deformation and variations in an environmental factor,
wherein the sensor module is configured to measure respective conductivities between two or more pairs of the contacts, at least one of the conductivities corresponding to a respective first environmental factor, and each other of the conductivities corresponding to a respective second environmental factor, a respective strain, or a respective deformation.

2. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein a first conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the first contact and the second contact, varies in response to one of: temperature, humidity, spectral irradiance, atmospheric pressure, and partial vapor pressure of a chemical solvent.

3. A sensor module according to claim 2 , wherein the spectral irradiance is from an ultraviolet light.

4. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein a first conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the first contact and the second contact, varies in response to partial vapor pressure of a chemical solvent that is one or more of: ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, and a water-miscible solvent.

5. A sensor module according to claim 1 , further comprising an encapsulation layer that encapsulates a first portion of the one or more sensing elements that extends between the first contact and the second contact, the encapsulation layer impervious to moisture.

6. A sensor module according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first substrate on which the first contact and the second contact are disposed;
a fourth contact;
a second substrate on which the third contact and the fourth contact are disposed; and
an encapsulation layer;
wherein the one or more sensing elements are further electrically coupled to the fourth contact;
wherein the first conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the first contact and the second contact, varies in response to variations in temperature;
wherein a second conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the first contact and the third contact, varies in response to strain or deformation of a second portion of the sensing element extending between the first contact and the third contact;
wherein a third conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the third contact and the fourth contact, varies in response to humidity experienced by a third portion of the sensing element extending between the third contact and the fourth contact; and
wherein the encapsulation layer further encapsulates the second portion of the one or more sensing elements, but does not encapsulate the third portion of the one or more sensing elements.

7. A sensor module according to claim 5 , wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a deformable acrylic elastomer tape.

8. A sensor module according to claim 1 , further comprising a first substrate, wherein the first contact and the second contact are both disposed on the first substrate.

9. A sensor module according to claim 8 , wherein the third contact is disposed on a second substrate, and wherein a second conductivity of the one or more sensing elements, measured between the first contact and the third contact, varies in response to strain or deformation of a portion of the one or more sensing elements extending between the first contact and the third contact.

10. A sensor module according to claim 9 , further comprising an encapsulation layer that encapsulates the portion of the one or more sensing elements that extends between the first contact and the third contact, the encapsulation layer exhibiting the property of elasticity.

11. A sensor module according to claim 9 , wherein the second conductivity of the one or more sensing elements varies in response to strain or deformation that is an elastic deformation along a longitudinal axis of the portion of the one or more sensing elements extending between the first contact and the third contact.

12. A sensor module according to claim 9 , wherein the second conductivity of the one or more sensing elements varies in response to strain or deformation that is an elastic deformation perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the portion of the one or more sensing elements extending between the first contact and the third contact.

13. A sensor module according to claim 8 , wherein the first substrate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

14. A sensor module according to claim 8 , wherein the first substrate includes one of: ceramic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymer film, thermoplastic volcanizates (TPV), polyethylene, polypropylene, polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, and Nylon.

15. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the iono-elastomer is (i) ionic gel or (ii) hydrogel.

16. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the iono-elastomer is (i) F127-DA/d 3 EAN or (ii) F127-DA/hEAN.

17. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the first contact, the second contact, and the third contact each include graphite.

18. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the first contact, the second contact, and the third contact each are one of the group consisting of: graphite, graphene, or carbon black.

19. A sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein a voltage applied between the first contact and the second contact is an AC signal.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Xie Yunsong
• Yang Hao-Cheng
• Gao Kaizhong

Classifications

• G01K7/183

  characterised by the use of the resistive element · CPC title

• G01R1/04

  Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals · CPC title

• G01R1/203 Primary

  Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts (resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R) · CPC title

• G01K7/021

  Particular circuit arrangements (G01K7/026, G01K7/12, G01K7/14 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01K7/223 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the resistive element · CPC title