Flexible and self-powered temperature–pressure dual-parameter sensors using microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric materials

Skin-like temperature- and pressure-sensing capabilities are essential features for the next generation of artificial intelligent products. Previous studies of e-skin and smart elements have focused on flexible pressure sensors, whereas the simultaneous and sensitive detection of temperature and pressure with a single device remains a challenge. Here we report developing flexible dual-parameter temperature–pressure sensors based on microstructure-frame-supported organic thermoelectric (MFSOTE) materials. The effective transduction of temperature and pressure stimuli into two independent electrical signals permits the instantaneous sensing of temperature and pressure with an accurate temperature resolution of <0.1 K and a high-pressure-sensing sensitivity of up to 28.9 kPa−1. More importantly, these dual-parameter sensors can be self-powered with outstanding sensing performance. The excellent sensing properties of MFSOTE-based devices, together with their unique advantages of low cost and large-area fabrication, make MFSOTE materials possess promising applications in e-skin and health-monitoring elements.

[1]  Baoling Huang,et al.  High Dynamic Range Organic Temperature Sensor , 2013, Advanced materials.

[2]  T. Hyeon,et al.  Fabric‐Based Integrated Energy Devices for Wearable Activity Monitors , 2014, Advanced materials.

[3]  Raeed H. Chowdhury,et al.  Epidermal Electronics , 2011, Science.

[4]  R. Dauskardt,et al.  An ultra-sensitive resistive pressure sensor based on hollow-sphere microstructure induced elasticity in conducting polymer film , 2014, Nature Communications.

[5]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  Highly sensitive flexible pressure sensors with microstructured rubber dielectric layers. , 2010, Nature materials.

[6]  Xuewen Wang,et al.  Silk‐Molded Flexible, Ultrasensitive, and Highly Stable Electronic Skin for Monitoring Human Physiological Signals , 2014, Advanced materials.

[7]  Sung-hoon Ahn,et al.  A flexible and highly sensitive strain-gauge sensor using reversible interlocking of nanofibres. , 2012, Nature materials.

[8]  Zubair Ahmad,et al.  A Solution-Based Temperature Sensor Using the Organic Compound CuTsPc , 2014, Sensors.

[9]  Daniel M. Vogt,et al.  Embedded 3D Printing of Strain Sensors within Highly Stretchable Elastomers , 2014, Advanced materials.

[10]  T. Someya,et al.  Conformable, flexible, large-area networks of pressure and thermal sensors with organic transistor active matrixes. , 2005, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[11]  G. Tröster,et al.  Wafer-scale design of lightweight and transparent electronics that wraps around hairs , 2014, Nature Communications.

[12]  Andrew G. Gillies,et al.  Nanowire active-matrix circuitry for low-voltage macroscale artificial skin. , 2010, Nature materials.

[13]  Zhibin Yu,et al.  User-interactive electronic skin for instantaneous pressure visualization. , 2013, Nature materials.

[14]  Yei Hwan Jung,et al.  Stretchable silicon nanoribbon electronics for skin prosthesis , 2014, Nature Communications.

[15]  Gang Chen,et al.  High-performance flat-panel solar thermoelectric generators with high thermal concentration. , 2011, Nature materials.

[16]  Yonggang Huang,et al.  High performance piezoelectric devices based on aligned arrays of nanofibers of poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) , 2013, Nature Communications.

[17]  T. Someya,et al.  A strain-absorbing design for tissue–machine interfaces using a tunable adhesive gel , 2014, Nature Communications.

[18]  Tae-Jun Ha,et al.  Highly deformable liquid-state heterojunction sensors , 2014, Nature Communications.

[19]  Yaping Zang,et al.  Advances of flexible pressure sensors toward artificial intelligence and health care applications , 2015 .

[20]  X. Crispin,et al.  Optimization of the thermoelectric figure of merit in the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene). , 2011, Nature materials.

[21]  Lori Shutter,et al.  Dual-mode operation of flexible piezoelectric polymer diaphragm for intracranial pressure measurement , 2010 .

[22]  T. Someya,et al.  A Rubberlike Stretchable Active Matrix Using Elastic Conductors , 2008, Science.

[23]  Chanseok Lee,et al.  Ultrasensitive mechanical crack-based sensor inspired by the spider sensory system , 2014, Nature.

[24]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  Skin-like pressure and strain sensors based on transparent elastic films of carbon nanotubes. , 2011, Nature nanotechnology.

[25]  Magnus Berggren,et al.  Semi-metallic polymers. , 2014, Nature materials.

[26]  Dae-Hyeong Kim,et al.  Multifunctional wearable devices for diagnosis and therapy of movement disorders. , 2014, Nature nanotechnology.

[27]  Yaping Zang,et al.  Flexible suspended gate organic thin-film transistors for ultra-sensitive pressure detection , 2015, Nature Communications.

[28]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  Flexible polymer transistors with high pressure sensitivity for application in electronic skin and health monitoring , 2013, Nature Communications.

[29]  M. Vosgueritchian,et al.  Stretchable Energy‐Harvesting Tactile Electronic Skin Capable of Differentiating Multiple Mechanical Stimuli Modes , 2014, Advanced materials.

[30]  W. Nichols.  Clinical measurement of arterial stiffness obtained from noninvasive pressure waveforms. , 2005, American journal of hypertension.

[31]  S. Bauer,et al.  Flexible active-matrix cells with selectively poled bifunctional polymer-ceramic nanocomposite for pressure and temperature sensing skin , 2009 .

[32]  Takao Someya,et al.  A large-area, flexible pressure sensor matrix with organic field-effect transistors for artificial skin applications. , 2004, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[33]  F. Longo,et al.  Organic Nonvolatile Memory Transistors for Flexible Sensor Arrays , 2009 .

[34]  Jonathan A. Fan,et al.  Materials and Designs for Wireless Epidermal Sensors of Hydration and Strain , 2014 .

[35]  M. Kemerink,et al.  Correcting for contact geometry in Seebeck coefficient measurements of thin film devices , 2014 .

[36]  U. Chung,et al.  Highly Stretchable Resistive Pressure Sensors Using a Conductive Elastomeric Composite on a Micropyramid Array , 2014, Advanced materials.

[37]  M. Kaltenbrunner,et al.  An ultra-lightweight design for imperceptible plastic electronics , 2013, Nature.

[38]  T. Someya,et al.  Flexible organic transistors and circuits with extreme bending stability. , 2010, Nature materials.

[39]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  An electrically and mechanically self-healing composite with pressure- and flexion-sensitive properties for electronic skin applications. , 2012, Nature nanotechnology.

[40]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  25th Anniversary Article: The Evolution of Electronic Skin (E‐Skin): A Brief History, Design Considerations, and Recent Progress , 2013, Advanced materials.

[41]  T. Trung,et al.  A Flexible Bimodal Sensor Array for Simultaneous Sensing of Pressure and Temperature , 2014, Advanced materials.

[42]  Sanat S Bhole,et al.  Soft Microfluidic Assemblies of Sensors, Circuits, and Radios for the Skin , 2014, Science.