3D Printing-Induced Hierarchically Aligned Nanocomposites With Exceptional Multidirectional Strain Sensing Performance

Yanjun Liu, Zhenyu Wang, Xinyu Song, Xi Shen, Yi Wei, Chenxi Hua, Pengpeng Shao, Daopeng Qu, Jing Jiang, Yu Liu

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

Abstract

High-performance sensors capable of detecting multidirectional strains are indispensable to understand the complex motions involved in flexible electronics. Conventional isotropic strain sensors can only measure uniaxial deformations or single stimuli, hindering their practical application fields. The answer to such challenge resides in the construction of engineered anisotropic sensing structures. Herein, a hierarchically aligned carbon nanofiber (CNF)/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite strain sensor is developed by one-step 3D printing. The precisely controlled printing path and shear flow bring about highly aligned nanocomposite filaments at macroscale and orientated CNF network within each filament at microscale. The periodically orientated nanocomposite filaments along with the inner aligned CNF network successfully control the strain distribution and the appearance of microcracks, giving rise to anisotropic structural response to external deformations. The synergetic effect of the multiscale structural design leads to distinguishable gauge factors of 164 and 0.5 for applied loadings along and transverse to the alignment direction, leading to an exceptional selectivity of 3.77. The real-world applications of the hierarchically aligned sensors in multiaxial movement detector and posture-correction device are further demonstrated. The above findings propose new ideas for manufacturing nanocomposites with engineered anisotropic structure and properties, verifying promising applications in emerging wearable electronics and soft robotics.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2404810
JournalSmall
Volume20
Issue number49
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Dec 2024

Keywords

  • 3D printing
  • anisotropic structures
  • hierarchically aligned nanocomposites
  • multidirectional strain sensors
  • posture-correction devices

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • General Chemistry
  • Biomaterials
  • General Materials Science
  • Engineering (miscellaneous)

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