Printed capacitive and resistive mechanical sensors using inks based on two-dimensional materials and carbon nanotube dispersions

传感器的使用涵盖了广泛的应用，例如汽车，海洋和航空航天工业中的系统和结构的监测，以及用于控制假肢的皮肤和肌肉运动的微妙检测。目前的传感器技术制造、安装和维护成本高昂，而可穿戴传感器可能很笨重，需要便携式电子设备。使用基于印刷图形技术的传感器可以通过在柔性材料上以低成本提供快速原型和大规模生产来克服这些问题，并有助于开发具有嵌入式电子设备的物理设备的互连网络，现在已被称为物联网。在该项目中，我们将使用基于单层二维（2D）材料的墨水开发喷墨和丝网印刷传感器，例如石墨烯，和碳纳米管管分散体形成导电通路以测量压力变化或力。该项目将采用曼彻斯特大学材料学院纳米功能材料小组和其他合作小组正在开发的油墨配方。传感器将采用两种设计-（i）电阻应变计和（ii）面内电容应变计。压力变化或力将使柔性基板偏转，导致弹性变形，这将由表面印刷传感器测量。在开发这些传感器的过程中，该项目旨在为在塑料或纸张上打印铺平道路，并为物联网的廉价和一次性传感器提供概念证明。

The use of sensors covers a wide range of applications such as the monitoring of systems and structures in automotive, marine and aerospace industries, to the subtle detection of skin and muscle movements for controlling prosthetics. Current sensor technology can be costly to manufacture, install and maintain, whilst wearable sensors can be cumbersome, requiring portable electronics. The use of printed graphic technology based sensors could potentially overcome these problems by providing rapid prototyping and mass production at low cost on flexible materials and contribute towards the development of the interconnected network of physical devices with embedded electronics which has now become known as the Internet of Things.In this project, we will develop ink-jet and screen-printed sensors using inks based on single layered two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, and carbon nanotube tube dispersions forming the conductive pathways to measure pressure changes or forces. The project will adopt ink formulations under development in the Nanofunctional Materials Group, School of Materials at the University of Manchester and from other collaborative groups. The sensors will adopt two designs - (i) resistive strain gauge and (ii) in-plane capacitive strain gauge. Pressure changes or forces will deflect a flexible substrate resulting in elastic deformation which will be measured by the surface-printed sensor. In developing these sensors it is intended that the project will work towards paving the way for printing on plastic or paper and towards showing a proof of concept for inexpensive and disposable sensors for the Internet of Things.