A soft, stretchable thermometer
Self-powered sensor can be integrated into soft robots, smart clothing
Date:
January 24, 2022
Source:
Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Summary:
The next generation of soft robotics, smart clothing and
biocompatible medical devices are going to need integrated soft
sensors that can stretch and twist with the device or wearer. The
challenge: most of the components used in traditional sensing
are rigid. Now, researchers have developed a soft, self-powered
thermometer that can be integrated into stretchable electronics
and soft robots.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The next generation of soft robotics, smart clothing and biocompatible
medical devices are going to need integrated soft sensors that can
stretch and twist with the device or wearer. The challenge: most of the components used in traditional sensing are rigid.
==========================================================================
Now, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a soft, stretchable, self-powered thermometer that can be integrated into stretchable electronics and
soft robots.
"We have developed soft temperature sensors with high sensitivity and
quick response time, opening new possibilities to create new human-machine interfaces and soft robots in healthcare, engineering and entertainment,"
said Zhigang Suo, the Allen E. and Marilyn M. Puckett Professor of
Mechanics and Materials at SEAS and senior author of the paper.
The research is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences.
The thermometer consists of three simple parts: an electrolyte,
an electrode, and a dielectric material to separate the two. The electrolyte/dielectric interface accumulates ions while the dielectric/electrode interface accumulates electrons. The charge imbalance between the two sets up an ionic cloud in the electrolyte. When the
temperature changes, the ionic cloud changes thickness and a voltage
is generated. The voltage is sensitive to temperature, but insensitive
to stretch.
"Because the design is so simple, there are so many different ways to
customize the sensor, depending on the application," said Yecheng Wang,
a postdoctoral fellow at SEAS and first author of the paper. "You can
choose different materials, arranged in different ways and optimized for different tasks." By arranging the electrolyte, dielectric, and electrode
in different configurations, the researchers developed four designs for
the temperature sensor. In one test, they integrated the sensor into a
soft gripper and measured the temperature of a hot hard boiled egg. The
sensors are more sensitive than traditional thermoelectric thermometers
and can respond to changes in temperature within about 10 milliseconds.
"We demonstrated that these sensors can be made small, stable, and even transparent," said Wang.
Depending on the materials used, the thermometer can measure temperatures upwards of 200 degrees Celsius or as cold as -100 degrees Celsius.
"This highly customizable platform could usher in new developments to
enable and improve the internet of everything and everyone," said Suo.
The research was co-authored by Kun Jia, Shuwen Zhang, Hyeong Jun Kim,
Yang Bai and Ryan C. Hayward. The research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation through the Harvard University Materials
Research Science and Engineering Center under grant DMR2011754.
Video of stretchable thermometer:
https://youtu.be/AJN6OTZAe14 ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Harvard_John_A._Paulson_School_of_Engineering_and_Applied
Sciences. Original written by Leah Burrows. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Yecheng Wang, Kun Jia, Shuwen Zhang, Hyeong Jun Kim, Yang Bai,
Ryan C.
Hayward, Zhigang Suo. Temperature sensing using junctions
between mobile ions and mobile electrons. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, 2022; 119 (4): e2117962119 DOI:
10.1073/pnas.2117962119 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124194944.htm
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