am6b09188_si_001.pdf (1.74 MB)
Ultrasensitive Cracking-Assisted Strain Sensors Based on Silver Nanowires/Graphene Hybrid Particles
journal contribution
posted on 2016-09-06, 00:00 authored by Song Chen, Yong Wei, Siman Wei, Yong Lin, Lan LiuStrain
sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity under microstrain have numerous
potential applications in heartbeat monitoring, pulsebeat detection,
sound signal acquisition, and recognition. In this work, a two-part
strain sensor (i.e., polyurethane part and brittle conductive hybrid
particles layer on top) based on silver nanowires/graphene hybrid
particles is developed via a simple coprecipitation, reduction, vacuum
filtration, and casting process. Because of the nonuniform interface,
weak interfacial bonding, and the hybrid particles’ point-to-point
conductive networks, the crack and overlap morphologies are successfully
formed on the strain sensor after a prestretching; the crack-based
stain sensor exhibits gauge factors as high as 20 (Δε
< 0.3%), 1000 (0.3% < Δε < 0.5%), and 4000 (0.8%
< Δε < 1%). In addition, we demonstrate the sensing
mechanism under strain results in the high gauge factor of the strain
sensor. Combined with its good response to bending, high strain resolution,
and high working stability, the developed strain sensor is promising
in the applications of electronic skins, motion sensors, and health
monitoring sensors.