Laser-Induced Graphene Based Flexible Sensing and Heating for Food Monitoring

This paper proposes an LIG-based flexible sensing and heating system for food monitoring (FTMS) for frost protection of food in cold storage. The FTMS integrates two major components: flexible temperature sensing and a flexible laser-induced graphene (LIG) heating patch. Factors affecting the performance of flexible LIG heating patches were investigated from the electrical, thermoelectric, and microscopic levels of the flexible LIG heating patches. The best performance of the prepared flexible LIG heating patches was achieved when the power was 12.5% and the scanning rate was 120 mm/s. In the simulation application phase, through this system, an antifrostbite test is carried out on oranges, pears, and other fruits; when the output voltage is about 3 V, it only takes 14–20 s from the time the fruit meets the cold damage to the time the temperature is pulled back to the set range, and the results show that this system could effectively resist frostbite and monitor the surface temperature of the fruits efficiently. It has a high application value in reducing food waste rates. In the future, we could look forward to its application in rare plant protection and high-value-added crop protection.