Flexible, stretchable, and distributed strain sensors
First Claim
1. A composite comprising:
- an electrically resistant material, wherein the electrically resistant material comprises epoxy resin;
conductive nanoparticles dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material; and
conductive nano-structures dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, wherein a weight of the conductive nano-structures is less than about 5% of a total weight of the composite, wherein a gauge factor of the composite is greater than about 4.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for sensing strain are disclosed. A thin film sensor includes a thin film polymer matrix that has two electrical terminals, conductive nanoparticles dispersed within the polymer matrix, and carbon nanotubes dispersed within the polymer matrix. The thin film sensor has a resistivity across the two electrical terminals that varies with a magnitude of strain applied to the thin film sensor. Strain may be sensed by applying a voltage to the thin film sensor, and an electrical response of the thin film sensor may be detected due to a strain present across the sensor. A magnitude of the strain can be determined based on the electrical response. Methods and systems for a memristor are also disclosed. The memristor has a resistivity that varies with a time-varying voltage input and with a time-varying strain input.
37 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A composite comprising:
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an electrically resistant material, wherein the electrically resistant material comprises epoxy resin; conductive nanoparticles dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material; and conductive nano-structures dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, wherein a weight of the conductive nano-structures is less than about 5% of a total weight of the composite, wherein a gauge factor of the composite is greater than about 4. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A thin film sensor comprising:
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a thin film polymer matrix having two electrical terminals; conductive nanoparticles dispersed within the thin film polymer matrix; and carbon nanotubes dispersed within the thin film polymer matrix, wherein the thin film sensor has a resistivity across the two electrical terminals that varies with a magnitude of strain applied to the thin film sensor; wherein the thin film sensor has two operational modes, wherein a first operational mode is a resistive-type strain sensing mode and wherein a second operational mode is a semiconductor-type strain sensing mode, and wherein a bias voltage applied across the thin film sensor determines the operational mode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for sensing strain comprising:
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applying a voltage to a flexible thin film strain sensor that is applied to a sensing area, wherein the flexible thin film strain sensor comprises an electrically resistant material, conductive nanoparticles dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, and conductive nano-structures dispersed substantially throughout the electrically resistant material, wherein the flexible thin film strain sensor has a resistivity that varies with a magnitude of strain applied to the thin film sensor, and wherein a strain is present across the sensing area; applying a bias voltage across the flexible thin film strain sensor; detecting an electrical response of the flexible thin film strain sensor in response to the strain present across the sensing area; and determining a magnitude of the strain based on the electrical response and the bias voltage. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification