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Research Article | Online first | Published: 11 April 2024

Perpendicularly assembled oriented electrospinning nanofibers based piezoresistive pressure sensor with wide measurement range

Show Author's Information Xiaoxue Bi1,2,  Zhigang Duan2,  Xiaojuan Hou2( ),  Shuo Qian3,  Mengjiao Yuan2,  Jiajun Hu2,  Jie Zhang2,  Yuchen Lu2,  Yanli Liu4,  Jian He2( ),  Zhiling Peng1( ),  Xiujian Chou2
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Science and Technology on Electronic Test and Measurement Laboratory, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
School of Software, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
School of Information and Communication Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Keywords:
machine learning algorithms, oriented nanofibers, perpendicular assembly, parallel assembly, intelligent throat
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Atomic force microscopyScanning probe microscopy
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Bi X, Duan Z, Hou X, et al. Perpendicularly assembled oriented electrospinning nanofibers based piezoresistive pressure sensor with wide measurement range. Nano Research, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-024-6551-3
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

With the rapid development of wearable electronics, flexible pressure sensors have attracted wide attention in human–computer interaction and intelligent machines. However, it is a challenge to achieve a sensor with high sensitivity, wide measurement range, and wearing comfortability. Here, we develop an oriented electrospinning thermoplastic polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile (TPU/PAN) nanofibers (OETPN) based piezoresistive pressure sensor (PONPS) in which the active layer and the electrode are assembled perpendicularly. The interdigital electrode is fabricated by spraying silver nanowires (AgNWs) on the OETPN through a mask plate. The active layer is composed of OETPN coated with MXene, encapsulated on the electrode by polyurethane (PU) film. The porous structure of nanofibers membrane broadens the measurement range of the sensor. Employing oriented nanofibers as active layer can improve the sensitivity in low pressure, because oriented nanofibers without interweaving nanofibers are more compressible than disordered nanofibers. Electrode prepared using the spraying method creates nanoscale microstructure and increases sensitivity. The perpendicular assembly has greater response between the active layer and the electrode than the parallel assembly to improve the sensitivity. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity (6.71 kPa−1, 0.02–2 kPa) and wide measurement range (0.02–700 kPa). The sensor can detect weak signals such as radial artery. A pressure array constructed precisely represents the distribution of pressure. An intelligent throat is created by combining machine learning algorithms with the PONPS. It can detect and recognize subtle throat vibrations while speaking, achieving recognition accuracy up to 100% using support vector machine (SVM) for five words with different syllables. The fabricated sensor shows promising prospects in personal healthcare and intelligent robots.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Perpendicularly assembled oriented electrospinning nanofibers based piezoresistive pressure sensor with wide measurement range

Show Author's information Xiaoxue Bi1,2, Zhigang Duan2, Xiaojuan Hou2( ), Shuo Qian3, Mengjiao Yuan2, Jiajun Hu2, Jie Zhang2, Yuchen Lu2, Yanli Liu4, Jian He2( ), Zhiling Peng1( ), Xiujian Chou2
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Science and Technology on Electronic Test and Measurement Laboratory, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
School of Software, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
School of Information and Communication Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China

Abstract

With the rapid development of wearable electronics, flexible pressure sensors have attracted wide attention in human–computer interaction and intelligent machines. However, it is a challenge to achieve a sensor with high sensitivity, wide measurement range, and wearing comfortability. Here, we develop an oriented electrospinning thermoplastic polyurethane/polyacrylonitrile (TPU/PAN) nanofibers (OETPN) based piezoresistive pressure sensor (PONPS) in which the active layer and the electrode are assembled perpendicularly. The interdigital electrode is fabricated by spraying silver nanowires (AgNWs) on the OETPN through a mask plate. The active layer is composed of OETPN coated with MXene, encapsulated on the electrode by polyurethane (PU) film. The porous structure of nanofibers membrane broadens the measurement range of the sensor. Employing oriented nanofibers as active layer can improve the sensitivity in low pressure, because oriented nanofibers without interweaving nanofibers are more compressible than disordered nanofibers. Electrode prepared using the spraying method creates nanoscale microstructure and increases sensitivity. The perpendicular assembly has greater response between the active layer and the electrode than the parallel assembly to improve the sensitivity. The sensor exhibits high sensitivity (6.71 kPa−1, 0.02–2 kPa) and wide measurement range (0.02–700 kPa). The sensor can detect weak signals such as radial artery. A pressure array constructed precisely represents the distribution of pressure. An intelligent throat is created by combining machine learning algorithms with the PONPS. It can detect and recognize subtle throat vibrations while speaking, achieving recognition accuracy up to 100% using support vector machine (SVM) for five words with different syllables. The fabricated sensor shows promising prospects in personal healthcare and intelligent robots.

Keywords: machine learning algorithms, oriented nanofibers, perpendicular assembly, parallel assembly, intelligent throat

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 15 November 2023
Revised: 19 January 2024
Accepted: 05 February 2024
Published: 11 April 2024

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press 2024

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52175554, 52205608, and 62171414), the Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province (Nos. 20210302123059 and 20210302124610), and the program for the Scientific and Technological Innovation Programs of Higher Education Institutions in Shanxi (No. 2020L0316).

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