Electrodes and sensors having nanowires

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017172439-A1
Application number	US-201515127455-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2015
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Jun 22, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for electrodes and sensors having nanowires. According to an embodiment as described, a dry sensor is provided. Nanowires, such as silver nanowires, are positioned within a polymer material, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form an electrode. A conductive element is attached to the electrode during its formation. Example conductive elements include, but are not limited to, a contact or a wire that may be communicatively coupled to medical equipment.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1 . A sensor, comprising:
a dry electrode comprising a polymer material having a plurality of nanowires dispersed therein; and a conductive element being attached to the electrode.

2 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is configured to measure skin to electrode impedance.

3 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein a conductivity of the conductive element is retained during a strain of the sensor from 0% to 50%.

4 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nanowires are silver nanowires.

5 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the nanowires are carbon nanotubes.

6 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises a rubber substrate.

7 . The sensor of claim 6 , wherein the rubber substrate comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

8 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the conductive element comprises a contact and a wire.

9 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the conductive element are operatively connected to medical equipment.

10 . The sensor of claim 9 , wherein the medical equipment is selected from a group consisting of electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment, electrocardiography (EKG) equipment, electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment, electromyogram (EMG) equipment, and impedance-measurement equipment.

11 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the conductive element are communicatively coupled to one of photovoltaic equipment, a display device, and artificial skin.

12 . The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the conductive element are communicatively coupled to at least one of prosthetic equipment, a mechanical motion detector, pressure sensing equipment, a strain gauge, hydration sensing equipment, a biomorph actuator, or an actuator.

13 . A method for creating a dry sensor, comprising:
casting a plurality of nanowires onto a substrate; pouring a liquid form of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) over the plurality of nanowires to create a mixture of the plurality of nanowires and the PDMS; and pressing a conductive element on the mixture, the conductive element being configured to communicatively couple to medical equipment.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising placing the substrate in a vacuum to remove air bubbles from the PDMS.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising curing the PDMS in an oven at 100° C. for 1 hour.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising peeling a cured portion of the PDMS off the substrate.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nanowires are silver nanowires or carbon nanotubes.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the medical equipment is selected from a group consisting of: electrocardiography (EKG) equipment, electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment, electromyogram (EMG) equipment, and impedance-measurement equipment.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the conductive element is operatively connected to one of photovoltaic equipment, a display device, and artificial skin.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the conductive element is operatively connected to one of prosthetic equipment, a mechanical motion detector, pressure sensing equipment, a strain gauge, hydration sensing equipment, a biomorph actuator, and an actuator.

Assignees

• Univ North Carolina State

Inventors

• Zhu Yong
• Yao Shanshan
• Song Lingnan
• Myers Amanda

Classifications

• A61B5/0531

  Measuring skin impedance · CPC title

• B32B2535/00

  Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses or catheter · CPC title

• B32B2311/08

  Silver · CPC title

• B32B2305/07

  Parts immersed or impregnated in a matrix · CPC title

• B29C70/18

  in the form of a mat, e.g. sheet moulding compound [SMC] · CPC title