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Pressure sensor based on porous polydimethylsiloxane with embedded gold nanoparticles

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Abstract

A compressible capacitive mechanical pressure sensor has been developed. Porous polydimethylsiloxane (p-PDMS) has been chosen as dielectric insulator because of its dielectric constant value. Gold nanoparticles have been embedded in p-PDMS to change the dielectric properties and to tune its elasticity. p-PDMS and its nanocomposite have been synthesized using the sugar leaching process. The p-PDMS physical characterization, with and without the gold nanoparticles, has been conducted to investigate its elastic response to compressive stresses as a function of both the polymer preparation thermal treatment and the gold nanoparticle concentration. A sensor operating in a low-pressure range between about 100 Pa and 10 kPa with a strain ranging between about 5% and 95% has been realized. Dielectric constant and electrical resistivity measurements have been performed using samples with a starting volume of the order of 1 cm3. The relationship between the dielectric constant, the electrical resistivity and the compressive stress/strain has been also deduced. The described sensor is flexible, biocompatible, water equivalent and can have applications in biomedicine (orthopedic, dentistry), engineering (stress–strain measurements, robotics), and microelectronics (microbalances, stress test on electronic devices).

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Acknowledgements

Part of this research has been realized at the CANAM (Centre of Accelerators and Nuclear Analytical Methods) infrastructure LM 2015056 and has been supported by Project GACR 19-02482S. This publication was supported by OP RDE, MEYS, Czech Republic under the project CANAM OP, CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_013/0001812.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dip.to MIFT, Università di Messina, V.le F.S. D’Alcontres 31, 98166, Messina, Italy

    L. Silipigni & L. Torrisi

  2. CNR-IPCF, V.le F.S. D’Alcontres 37, 98166, Messina, Italy

    G. Salvato

  3. CEDAD & Dip.to di Matematica e Fisica, Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy

    A. Torrisi

  4. Nuclear Physics Institute, AS CR, 25068, Rez, Czech Republic

    M. Cutroneo

  5. Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic

    P. Slepicka & D. Fajstavr

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  1. L. Silipigni
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Correspondence to L. Silipigni.

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Silipigni, L., Salvato, G., Torrisi, A. et al. Pressure sensor based on porous polydimethylsiloxane with embedded gold nanoparticles. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 8703–8715 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-05541-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-05541-1

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