• A soft, stretchable thermometer

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Mon Jan 24 21:30:38 2022
    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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