3D percolated conductive networks for highly stretchable and wide range strain sensor

Abstract

The demand for flexible and wearable electronic devices is increasing due to their facile interaction with human body. Stretchable, flexible and wearable sensors could be easily mounted on clothing or directly attached on the body or even buildings and structures. Especially, highly stretchable strain sensors are needed in many different situation requiring various strain. Many requirements are needed to assembly high-performance strain sensors such as sensitivity, stretchability, fabrication cost, and stability. Among them, stretchability and sensitivity is critical values for evaluating strain sensor performance. Recently, there have been numerous efforts to develop flexible, stretchable, and sensitive strain sensors through attaching 2 dimensional conductive thin film on flexible substrate. In these cases, the stretchability and sensitivity can not be realized at once. Moreover, one strain sensor could only cover target conditions. This thesis describes the fabrication of 3 dimensional conductive networks for highly stretchable strain sensor which could be used for wide range strain sensor platform. In particular, the fabrication method of easily removable 3 dimensional template defined by Proximity field nanopatterning (PnP) and conversion of the 3D template into organic materials such as stretchable elastomer. Moreover, we suggest 3 dimensionally percolated conductive networks by infiltration of single-walled carbon nanotubes solution through pores inside and application as highly stretchable and sensitive 3 dimensional strain sensor platform which could cover wide range strain.