Bioinspired Dual-Mode Stretchable Strain Sensor Based on Magnetic Nanocomposites for Strain/Magnetic Discrimination

Recently, flexible stretchable sensors have been gaining attention for their excellent adaptability for electronic skin applications. However, the preparation of stretchable strain sensors that achieve dual-mode sensing while still retaining ultra-low detection limit of strain, high sensitivity, and low cost is a pressing task. Herein, a high-performance dual-mode stretchable strain sensor (DMSSS) based on biomimetic scorpion foot slit microstructures and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/graphene (GR)/silicone rubber (SR)/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites is proposed, which can accurately sense strain and magnetic stimuli. The DMSSS exhibits a large strain detection range (≈160%), sensitivity up to 100.56 (130–160%), an ultra-low detection limit of strain (0.16% strain), and superior durability (9000 cycles of stretch/release). The sensor can accurately recognize sign language movement, as well as realize object proximity information perception and whole process information monitoring. Furthermore, human joint movements and micro-expressions can be monitored in real-time. Therefore, the DMSSS of this work opens up promising prospects for applications in sign language pose recognition, non-contact sensing, human-computer interaction, and electronic skin.     

Monolithic and Flexible ZnS/SnO2 Ultraviolet Photodetectors with Lateral Graphene Electrodes

A continuing trend of miniaturized and flexible electronics/optoelectronic calls for novel device architectures made by compatible fabrication techniques. However, traditional layer‐to‐layer structures cannot satisfy such a need. Herein, a novel monolithic optoelectronic device fabricated by a mask‐free laser direct writing method is demonstrated in which in situ laser induced graphene‐like materials are employed as lateral electrodes for flexible ZnS/SnO₂ ultraviolet photodetectors. Specifically, a ZnS/SnO₂ thin film comprised of heterogeneous ZnS/SnO₂ nanoparticles is first coated on polyimide (PI) sheets by a solution process. Then, CO₂ laser irradiation ablates designed areas of the ZnS/SnO₂ thin film and converts the underneath PI into highly conductive graphene as the lateral electrodes for the monolithic photodetectors. This in situ growth method provides good interfaces between the graphene electrodes and the semiconducting ZnS/SnO₂ resulting in high optoelectronic performance. The lateral electrode structure reduces total thickness of the devices, thus minimizing the strain and improving flexibility of the photodetectors. The demonstrated lithography‐free monolithic fabrication is a simple and cost‐effective method, showing a great potential for developement into roll‐to‐roll manufacturing of flexible electronics.     

A flexible conductive hybrid elastomer for high-precision stress/strain and humidity detection

Flexible and environment-responsive materials are essential for a large number of applications from artificial skin to wearable devices. The present study develops a flexible, ultra-low cost conductive hybrid elastomer(CHE), which possesses high responsive capabilities to stress/strain and humidity. CHE was composed of polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) and starch hydrogel(SH), enabling great elasticity(56 kPa),high conductivity(10~(-2)S/m) and high sensitivity to external stimuli(gauge factor of CHE under stress and strain are 0.71 and 2.22, respectively, and sensitivity to humidity is 1.2 × 10~(-6)S/m per RH%). These properties render CHE a promising candidate for artificial skin and wearable electronics applications of continuously monitoring environmental information.     

Fabrication of Flexible MoS2 Thin‐Film Transistor Arrays for Practical Gas‐Sensing Applications

By combining two kinds of solution‐processable two‐dimensional materials, a flexible transistor array is fabricated in which MoS₂ thin film is used as the active channel and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) film is used as the drain and source electrodes. The simple device configuration and the 1.5 mm‐long MoS₂ channel ensure highly reproducible device fabrication and operation. This flexible transistor array can be used as a highly sensitive gas sensor with excellent reproducibility. Compared to using rGO thin film as the active channel, this new gas sensor exhibits much higher sensitivity. Moreover, functionalization of the MoS₂ thin film with Pt nanoparticles further increases the sensitivity by up to ～3 times. The successful incorporation of a MoS₂ thin‐film into the electronic sensor promises its potential application in various electronic devices.     

Reliable high temperature,high humidity flexible thin film encapsulation using Al2O3/MgO nanolaminates for flexible OLEDs

Since most organic materials are very sensitive to moisture and oxygen, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) require an encapsulation layer to protect the active layer from these gases. Since light, flexible and portable OLEDs are being employed in more diverse climates and environmental conditions, the OLED encapsulation layer must retain robust mechanical properties and stability in high temperature/high humidity conditions. Al₂O₃ films have demonstrated excellent barrier performance, but they readily hydrolyze when exposed to prolonged harsh environments. In this study, we fabricated a thin film encapsulation (TFE) film that was resistant to hydrolysis, using Al₂O₃/MgO (AM) nanolaminates. MgO has superior resistance to harsh environments, and the aluminate phase generated by the chemical reaction of Al₂O₃ and MgO provided excellent barrier performance, even after storage in harsh conditions. A multi-barrier fabricated using the AM nanolaminate showed excellent barrier performance, close to the level required by OLEDs. It did not significantly deteriorate even after a bending test of 1,000 iterations at 0.63% strain. After 1,000 cycle of bending, the electrical properties of the passivated OLEDs were not significantly degraded at shelf-lifetime test where the fabricated device was stored for 50 days in a harsh environment of 60 °C, 90% relative humidity. The multi-barrier shows the best performance compared to previous studies on flexible encapsulation that can be used in harsh environments.

     

Graphene-based flexible NO2 chemical sensors

We demonstrated graphene-based flexible NO₂ chemical sensors on polyethylene terephthalate substrate where graphene was grown on Cu-foil by chemical vapor deposition technique. Introduction of NO₂ molecules to graphene caused a rapid increase in the currents due to the charge transfer between NO₂ molecules and graphene under both relaxed and strained conditions. However, the recovery was delayed due to slow desorption of NO₂ molecules from defective sites in graphene. Also, strain in graphene increased the resistance of graphene layer where the change in conductance was reversible. Our graphene-based NO₂ chemical sensors showed a great sensitivity and reproducibility under both strained and relaxed conditions.     

Highly Sensitive MoS2 Humidity Sensors Array for Noncontact Sensation

Recently, 2D materials exhibit great potential for humidity sensing applications due to the fact that almost all atoms are at the surface. Therefore, the quality of the material surface becomes the key point for sensitive perception. This study reports an integrated, highly sensitive humidity sensors array based on large‐area, uniform single‐layer molybdenum disulfide with an ultraclean surface. Device mobilities and on/off ratios decrease linearly with the relative humidity varying from 0% to 35%, leading to a high sensitivity of more than 10⁴. The reversible water physisorption process leads to short response and decay times. In addition, the device array on a flexible substrate shows stable performance, suggesting great potential in future noncontact interface localization applications.     

ZrO2-TiO2 ceramic humidity sensors

Ceramics based on 0.5ZrO₂-0.5TiO₂ were evaluated as humidity sensors. The variation of phase change, microstructure, and conductivity with relative humidity were investigated for base ceramics doped with additives such as CrO_1.5, FeO_1.5 and MgO. It was found that FeO_1.5 enhanced the formation of ZrTiO₄. The addition of MgO and FeO_1.5 increased conductivity and its humidity sensitivity. Open porosity was not affected much by the addition of the three dopants. Nitrogen treatment of sintered ceramics at 900 °C was found to increase conductivities and humidity sensitivity of the ceramics.     

Flexible Smart Noncontact Control Systems with Ultrasensitive Humidity Sensors

The development of noncontact humidity sensors with high sensitivity, rapid response, and a facile fabrication process is urgently desired for advanced noncontact human–machine interaction (HMI) applications. Here, a flexible and transparent humidity sensor based on MoO₃ nanosheets is developed with a low‐cost and easily manufactured process. The designed humidity sensor exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity, fast response, great stability, and high selectivity, exceeding the state‐of‐the‐art humidity sensors. Furthermore, a wearable moisture analysis system is assembled for real‐time monitoring of ambient humidity and human breathing states. Benefiting from the sensitive and rapid response to fingertip humidity, the sensors are successfully applied to both a smart noncontact multistage switch and a novel flexible transparent noncontact screen for smart mobile devices, demonstrating the potential of the MoO₃ nanosheets‐based humidity sensors in future HMI systems.     

Characterization and humidity sensing of ZnO/42° YX LiTaO3 Love wave devices with ZnO nanorods

Love mode surface acoustic wave devices based on ZnO/42° YX LiTaO₃ were characterized with the thickness of the sputtered ZnO guiding layer varied from 250 nm to 1.18 μm. Phase velocity, temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, sensitivity, electromechanical coupling coefficient and humidity sensing of the Love mode SAW devices were studied as a function of the ZnO layer thickness. With increasing ZnO thickness over the range of thickness values we have examined, the sensitivity of 42° YX LiTaO₃ to liquid loading increased and the values of electromechanical coupling coefficient decreased. The device with a thickness of 250 nm showed the best humidity response. ZnO nanorods were grown on this device and its humidity sensing performance has been further improved due to their large surface-to-volume ratio of the ZnO nanorods.     

Universal Imaging of Full Strain Tensor in 2D Crystals with Third‐Harmonic Generation

Quantitatively mapping and monitoring the strain distribution in 2D materials is essential for their physical understanding and function engineering. Optical characterization methods are always appealing due to unique noninvasion and high‐throughput advantages. However, all currently available optical spectroscopic techniques have application limitation, e.g., photoluminescence spectroscopy is for direct‐bandgap semiconducting materials, Raman spectroscopy is for ones with Raman‐active and strain‐sensitive phonon modes, and second‐harmonic generation spectroscopy is only for noncentrosymmetric ones. Here, a universal methodology to measure the full strain tensor in any 2D crystalline material by polarization‐dependent third‐harmonic generation is reported. This technique utilizes the third‐order nonlinear optical response being a universal property in 2D crystals and the nonlinear susceptibility has a one‐to‐one correspondence to strain tensor via a photoelastic tensor. The photoelastic tensor of both a noncentrosymmetric D_3h WS₂ monolayer and a centrosymmetric D_3d WS₂ bilayer is successfully determined, and the strain tensor distribution in homogenously strained and randomly strained monolayer WS₂ is further mapped. In addition, an atlas of photoelastic tensors to monitor the strain distribution in 2D materials belonging to all 32 crystallographic point groups is provided. This universal characterization on strain tensor should facilitate new functionality designs and accelerate device applications in 2D‐materials‐based electronic, optoelectronic, and photovoltaic devices.     

A Freestanding Stretchable and Multifunctional Transistor with Intrinsic Self‐Healing Properties of all Device Components

A flexible and stretchable field‐effect transistor (FET) is an essential element in a number of modern electronics. To realize the potential of this device in harsh real‐world conditions and to extend its application spectrum, new functionalities are needed to be introduced into the device. Here, solution‐processable elements based on carbon nanotubes that empower flexible and stretchable FET with high hole‐mobility (µ_h ≈ 10 cm² V^?1 s^?1) and relatively low operating voltages (<8 V) and that retain self‐healing properties of all FET components are reported. The device has repeatable intrinsic and autonomic self‐healing ability, namely without use of any external trigger, enabling the restoration of its electrical and mechanical properties, both after microscale damage or complete cut of the device—for example by a scissor. The device can be repeatedly stretched for >200 cycles of up to 50% strain without a significant loss in its electrical properties. The device is applicable in the form of a ≈3 µm thick freestanding skin tattoo and has multifunctional sensing properties, such as detection of temperature and humidity. With this unprecedented biomimetic transistor, highly sustainable and reliable soft electronic applications can be introduced.     

CoNi2S4 Nanoparticle/Carbon Nanotube Sponge Cathode with Ultrahigh Capacitance for Highly Compressible Asymmetric Supercapacitor

Compared with other flexible energy‐storage devices, the design and construction of the compressible energy‐storage devices face more difficulty because they must accommodate large strain and shape deformations. In the present work, CoNi₂S₄ nanoparticles/3D porous carbon nanotube (CNT) sponge cathode with highly compressible property and excellent capacitance is prepared by electrodepositing CoNi₂S₄ on CNT sponge, in which CoNi₂S₄ nanoparticles with size among 10–15 nm are uniformly anchored on CNT, causing the cathode to show a high compression property and gives high specific capacitance of 1530 F g⁻¹. Meanwhile, Fe₂O₃/CNT sponge anode with specific capacitance of 460 F g⁻¹ in a prolonged voltage window is also prepared by electrodepositing Fe₂O₃ nanosheets on CNT sponge. An asymmetric supercapacitor (CoNi₂S₄/CNT//Fe₂O₃/CNT) is assembled by using CoNi₂S₄/CNT sponge as positive electrode and Fe₂O₃/CNT sponge as negative electrode in 2 m KOH solution. It exhibits excellent energy density of up to 50 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 847 W kg⁻¹ and excellent cycling stability at high compression. Even at a strain of 85%, about 75% of the initial capacitance is retained after 10 000 consecutive cycles. The CoNi₂S₄/CNT//Fe₂O₃/CNT device is a promising candidate for flexible energy devices due to its excellent compressibility and high energy density.     

Structure, properties and gas sensing behavior of Cr2 − xTixO3 films fabricated by electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition

Single-phase eskolaite crystalline Cr_2 − xTi_xO₃ films (CTO) with a uniform porous microstructure were fabricated via an electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition (ESAVD) method. The sensing behavior upon exposure to ammonia and ethanol was characterized in a CTO film-based sensor device in terms of response, reproducibility, humidity constraints and sensor stability. The ESAVD process has been shown to be capable of producing CTO films at low temperature (650 °C) and more importantly, it results in a more uniform titanium distribution and better microstructural control than processes based on solid-state chemical reactions. The material with a nominal composition of Cr_1.7Ti_0.3O₃ exhibited the highest sensitivity among the different Cr_2 − xTi_xO₃ compositions examined towards ammonia over the temperature range of 200-500 °C with a peak sensitivity of 2.90 at 200 °C. The CTO materials, when used as sensors, also exhibit excellent responses to ethanol concentration in air. The sensitivity was 0.64 for 10 ppm ethanol, 0.85 for 25 ppm, and 0.92 for 50 ppm, respectively.     

NO2 and humidity sensing characteristics of few-layer graphenes

Sensing characteristics of few-layer graphenes for NO₂ and humidity have been investigated with graphene samples prepared by the thermal exfoliation of graphitic oxide, conversion of nanodiamond (DG) and arc-discharge of graphite in hydrogen (HG). The sensitivity for NO₂ is found to be highest with DG. Nitrogen-doped HG (n-type) shows increased sensitivity for NO₂ compared with pure HG. The highest sensitivity for humidity is observed with HG. Sensing characteristics of graphene have been examined for different aliphatic alcohols and the sensitivity is found to vary with the chain length and branching.     

Strain sensitivity of thick resistive films based on BaB6 and SnO2-Sb after laser irradiation

We study the influence of laser irradiation on the strain sensitivity of thick films based on BaB₆ and SnO₂-Sb and analyze the behavior of their electric resistance depending the duration of laser pulses. It is shown that the laser treatment of thick films based on SnO₂-Sb with nanosecond pulses increases the coefficient of strain sensitivity by about 40%. __________ Translated from Fizyko-Khimichna Mekhanika Materialiv, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 95–100, July–August, 2006.     

Highly selective ethanol In2O3-based gas sensor

The sensitive composite material was prepared by loading Pt and La₂O₃ into ultrafine In₂O₃ matric material (8 nm) synthesized by microemulsion method. A highly selective ethanol gas sensor was developed based on hot-wire type gas sensor, which was sintered in a bead (0.8 mm in diameter) to cover a platinum wire coil (0.4 mm in diameter). The gas sensor was operated by a bridge electric circuit. The influences of La₂O₃ and Pt additives on C₂H₅OH sensing properties of In₂O₃-based gas sensor were discussed. The addition of La₂O₃ resulted in a prominent selectivity for C₂H₅OH, and the addition of Pt improved the response rate to C₂H₅OH without affecting the sensitivity. The temperature and humidity characteristics of the sensor output were also investigated. The selective sensor had low power consumption, significantly minor humidity and temperature dependence, high selectivity and prominent long-term stability.     

Hydration phase diagram for sodium cobalt oxide Na0.3CoO2·yH2O

The hydration phase diagram for sodium cobalt oxhydrate, Na_0.3CoO₂·yH₂O (y = 0, 0.6 and 1.3), was determined as a function of relative humidity at 298 K It is found that greater than 75% relative humidity is needed for complete hydration of anhydrous Na_0.3CoO₂ to the superconducting phase Na_0.3CoO₂·1.3H₂O. Dehydration studies show that a minimum of 43% relative humidity is needed to maintain the stability of the fully hydrated superconducting phase. The intermediate hydrate, Na_0.3CoO₂·0.6H₂O, is stable between 10 and 50% relative humidity on hydration, and 35 and 0% relative humidity on dehydration.     

Humidity-sensitive characteristics of SnO2-Fe2O3 thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis

The humidity sensitivity of mixed iron oxide-tin oxide films has been investigated. The films were deposited by spraying alcohol solution of SnCl₄ and Fe(NH₄) (SO₄)₂ or Fe₂(C₂O₄)₃ on to quartz substrates heated at 480 °C with subsequent annealing in various ambients — oxygen or humid air. The films were investigated by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The humidity-sensitivity characteristics are plotted in the range 0%–93% RH. It was established that the humidity sensitivity, the response and the recovery time depend on the type of solution used for deposition, the type of thermal treatment, and the film thickness. It was found that the nature of the iron salt, used for the preparation of the spraying solution, and its concentration are of great importance for the humidity-sensitive properties of the films. The SnCl₄ and Fe₂(C₂O₄)₃ films, treated thermally in humid air at 900 °C for 1 h, possessed a short response time and high sensitivity to moisture.     

Strain Anisotropy and Magnetic Domains in Embedded Nanomagnets

Nanoscale modifications of strain and magnetic anisotropy can open pathways to engineering magnetic domains for device applications. A periodic magnetic domain structure can be stabilized in sub‐200 nm wide linear as well as curved magnets, embedded within a flat non‐ferromagnetic thin film. The nanomagnets are produced within a non‐ferromagnetic B2‐ordered Fe₆₀Al₄₀ thin film, where local irradiation by a focused ion beam causes the formation of disordered and strongly ferromagnetic regions of A2 Fe₆₀Al₄₀. An anisotropic lattice relaxation is observed, such that the in‐plane lattice parameter is larger when measured parallel to the magnet short‐axis as compared to its length. This in‐plane structural anisotropy manifests a magnetic anisotropy contribution, generating an easy‐axis parallel to the short axis. The competing effect of the strain and shape anisotropies stabilizes a periodic domain pattern in linear as well as spiral nanomagnets, providing a versatile and geometrically controllable path to engineering the strain and thereby the magnetic anisotropy at the nanoscale.