Integrated Fabrication of Novel Inkjet-Printed Silver Nanoparticle Sensors on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Nylon Composites

Abstract

Inkjet-printing technology enables the contactless deposition of functional materials such as conductive inks on surfaces, hence reducing contamination and the risk of substrate damage. In printed electronics, inkjet technology offers the significant advantage of controlling the volume of material deposited, and therefore the fine-tuning of the printed geometry, which is crucial for the performance of the final printed electronics. Inkjet printing of functional inks can be used to produce sensors to detect failure of mechanical structures such as carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRC) components, instead of using attached sensors, which are subject to delamination. Here, silver nanoparticle-based strain sensors were embedded directly in an insulated carbon-fiber laminate by using inkjet printing to achieve an optimized conductive and adhesive geometry, forming a piezoresistive strain sensor. Following the inkjet-printing optimization process, the sensor conductivity and adhesion performance were evaluated. Finally, the sensor was quantified by using a bending rig which applied a pre-determined strain, with the response indicating an accurate sensitivity as the resistance increased with an increased strain. The ability to embed the sensor directly on the CFRC prevents the use of interfacial adhesives which is the main source of failure due to delamination.

Inkjet Printing Optimization: Toward Realization of High‐Resolution Printed Electronics

“…[142][143][144] Karaş et al reported distinctive morphologies when a line with constant width was printed using different DS. [145] The printing generated arrays of individual drops when higher DS was used. The distance between drops, however, continued to decrease as DS decreased because more overlapping droplets were formed to fill the gaps in the pattern area (Figure 13a).…”

“…Reproduced under the terms of the CC‐BY license. [ 145 ] Copyright 2021, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; b) Graph of line width as a function of DS. Reproduced under the terms of the CC‐BY license.…”

“…a) Morphological changes of printed AgNPs ink as the DS was reduced. Reproduced under the terms of the CC-BY license [145]. Copyright 2021, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; b) Graph of line width as a function of DS.…”

Uncertainty Analysis of an Optoelectronic Strain Measurement System for Flywheel Rotors

“…Additionally, methods for strain measurement are also applicable for health monitoring. Strain gauges can be applied to the rotor surface [4][5][6] or between layers of carbon fibers. Since data transmission by slip rings is not practical at high speeds because of self-heating by friction [7], a telemetry system is required to record and transmit the data.…”

Editorial for the Special Issue on Recent Advances in Inkjet Technology

“…This article covered everything from ink formulation to product testing, showing how real inkjet printing products are developed. Karaş et al [ 15 ] made a strain gauge sensor on a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer surface via direct inkjet printing. Their research focused on the excellent adhesion of inkjet-printed patterns and obtained good results.…”