Development of a Hybrid Piezo Natural Rubber Piezoelectricity and Piezoresistivity Sensor with Magnetic Clusters Made by Electric and Magnetic Field Assistance and Filling with Magnetic Compound Fluid

Abstract

Piezoelements used in robotics require large elasticity and extensibility to be installed in an artificial robot skin. However, the piezoelements used until recently are vulnerable to large forces because of the thin solid materials employed. To resolve this issue, we utilized a natural rubber and applied our proposed new method of aiding with magnetic and electric fields as well as filling with magnetic compound fluid (MCF) and doping. We have verified the piezoproperties of the resulting MCF rubber. The effect of the created magnetic clusters is featured in a new two types of multilayered structures of the piezoelement. By measuring the piezoelectricity response to pressure, the synergetic effects of the magnetic clusters, the doping and the electric polymerization on the piezoelectric effect were clarified. In addition, by examining the relation between the piezoelectricity and the piezoresistivity created in the MCF piezo element, we propose a hybrid piezoelement.

Effect of Magnetic Field and Aggregation on Electrical Characteristics of Magnetically Responsive Suspensions for Novel Hybrid Liquid Capacitor

“…However, the solidification effect is not excluded from the experimental data. Solidification has the following effects [22][23][24][25]. The electric conductivity of NR-latex with MCF is larger than that without MCF.…”

“…In other words, the aggregation of particles and molecules significantly affects the electric conductivity of the sensor. Our proposed sensor, which uses a magnetic compound fluid (MCF) as the magnetically responsive fluid, has the same features as these fluidic sensors [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30].…”

“…The sensor consists of an MCF and diene-based rubber, such as natural rubber (NR), isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, or styrene-butadiene rubber, and is solidified by electrolytic polymerization through the application of a magnetic field [22,26]. Magnetic clusters of magnetic and metal particles [33], and rubber molecules structured by an applied magnetic field are fabricated heterostructures containing many thin-rod-shaped clusters that induce anisotropic and piezoelectric properties [25]. The state of the electrolytically polymerized MCF rubber sensor is solid.…”

Elastic Dry-Type Solar Cell Rubber with Photovoltaics and Piezoelectricity for Compressive Sensing

“…The rubber corresponds to the MCF rubber that we previously demonstrated is not only elastic, flexible and extensible, but also sensitive to piezoelectricity and piezo-resistivity [7]. In addition, the production methods and power-generation principles of ordinary solid-state solar cells are relevant, involving photo-excitation based on p-and n-type semiconductors, the photosensitized dye molecules in semiconductors, etc.…”

Development of Magnetic Compound Fluid Rubber Sensor for Practical Usage on γ-Irradiation and Energy Harvesting for Broad-Band Electromagnetic Waves

“…The elasticity and flexibility of rubber has resulted in the development of numerous outstanding applications. With the objective of further advancement, we have developed and studied the mechanical, electrical and photovoltaic characteristics of soft rubber with hybrid properties of piezoresistivity [1] [2], piezoelectricity [3] and photovoltaics [4]. The soft rubber that is used is usually diene rubber; natural rubber (NR), isoprene rubber (IR), chloroprene rubber (CR), butadiene rubber (BR), nitrile rubber (NBR) or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).…”