Apparatus and method for nanocomposite sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9518878-B2
Application number	US-201514752102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2009
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A sensing material for use in a sensor is disclosed. Such a sensing material includes a polymer base and a piezoresistive nanocomposite embedded into the polymer base in a continuous pattern. The nanocomposite comprises a polymer matrix and a plurality of conductive nanofillers suspended in the matrix. The conductive nanofillers may be one or a combination of nanotubes, nanowires, particles and flakes. The density of the plurality of nanofillers is such that the nanocomposite exhibits conductivity suitable for electronic and sensor applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a sensing material, comprising:
adding a polymer matrix into a first organic solvent solution and allowing the polymer matrix to dissolve;
dispersing a conductive nanofiller into a second organic solvent solution and stirring;
adding the first organic solvent solution to the second organic solvent solution, forming a mixture, and stirring the mixture;
evaporating the first and second organic solvent solutions from the mixture; and
adding a polymer curing agent to the mixture, forming a conductive nanocomposite, embedding the conductive nanocomposite into a polymer base in a continuous pattern to form the sensing material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix is selected from one of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicone elastomer, vinyl acetate, ethylene propylene rubber, polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(p-xylylene) polymer, fluorocarbon-based polymer, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix is added to the first organic solvent solution at a ratio of about 1:4.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller is added to the second organic solvent solution at a ration of about 1:20.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiller is at least one of a plurality of conductive nanotubes, conductive nanowires, conductive particles and conductive flakes.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first organic solvent solution is selected from one of toluene, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF) and dichloromethane (DCM).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second organic solvent solution is selected from one of toluene, chloroform, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF) and dichloromethane (DCM).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous pattern is one of a line, a curve, or combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer base is an elastomeric polymer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix is an elastomeric polymer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer base is selected from one of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silicone elastomer, vinyl acetate, ethylene propylene rubber, polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(p-xylylene) polymer, fluorocarbon-based polymer, and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive nanofiller is uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanocomposite is patterned such that malformation of the polymer base yields a corresponding change to the resistance of the sensing material.

Assignees

• Univ Louisiana State

Inventors

• Choi Jin-Woo
• Liu chao-xuan

Classifications

• H01B1/24

  the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon · CPC title

• G01L9/0041

  Transmitting or indicating the displacement of flexible diaphragms · CPC title

• G01L1/20 Primary

  by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids (of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18); by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress · CPC title

• B82Y15/00

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

• C08K2201/00

  Specific properties of additives · CPC title