Special Issue on Flexible and Wearable Electronics: from Materials to Applications

Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array

Sujie Chen, Siying Li, Sai Peng, Yukun Huang, Jiaqing Zhao, Wei Tang and Xiaojun Guo

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 Corresponding author: Xiaojun Guo, Email: x.guo@sjtu.edu.cn

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Abstract: Soft conductive films composed of a silver nanowire (AgNW) network, a neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS over-coating layer and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer substrate are fabricated by large area compatible coating processes. The neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS layer is shown to be able to significantly improve the conductivity, stretchability and air stability of the conductive films. The soft conductive films are patterned using a simple maskless patterning approach to fabricate an 8 × 8 flexible pressure sensor array. It is shown that such soft conductive films can help to improve the sensitivity and reduce the signal crosstalk over the pressure sensor array.

Key words: pressure sensorwearable electronicssilver nanowirePDMSblade-coatingbar-coating



[1]
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[4]
Chen S, Zhuo B, Guo X. Large area one-step facile processing of picrostructured elastomeric dielectric film for high sensitivity and durable sensing over wide pressure range. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2016, 8: 20364 doi: 10.1021/acsami.6b05177
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Joo Y, Byun J, Seong N, et al. Silver nanowire-embedded PDMS with a multiscale structure for a highly sensitive and robust flexible pressure sensor. Nanoscale, 2015, 7: 6208 doi: 10.1039/C5NR00313J
[7]
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Yao S, Zhu Y. Wearable multifunctional sensors using printed stretchable conductors made of silver nanowires. Nanoscale, 2015, 6: 2345
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Boutry C M, Nguyen A, Lawal Q O, et al. A sensitive and biodegradable pressure sensor array for cardiovascular monitoring. Adv Mater, 2015, 27: 6954 doi: 10.1002/adma.201502535
[13]
Tee B C K, Chortos A, Dunn R R, et al. Tunable flexible pressure sensors using microstructured elastomer geometries for intuitive electronics. Adv Funct Mater, 2014, 24: 5427 doi: 10.1002/adfm.201400712
[14]
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Mannsfeld S C B, Tee B C K, Stoltenberg R M, et al. Highly sensitive flexible pressure sensors with microstructured rubber dielectric layers. Nat Mater, 2010, 9: 859 doi: 10.1038/nmat2834
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Kang S, Lee J, Lee S, et al. Highly sensitive pressure sensor based on bioinspired porous structure for real-time tactile sensing. Adv Electron Mater, 2016, 12: 1600356
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Lee B Y, Kim J, Kim H, et al. Low-cost flexible pressure sensor based on dielectric elastomer film with micro-pores. Sens Actuators A, 2016, 240: 103 doi: 10.1016/j.sna.2016.01.037
[18]
Madaria A R, Kumar A, Ishikawa F N, et al. Uniform, highly conductive, and patterned transparent films of a percolating silver nanowire network on rigid and flexible substrates using a dry transfer technique. Nano Res, 2010, 3: 564 doi: 10.1007/s12274-010-0017-5
[19]
Vosgueritchian M, Lipomi D J, Bao Z. Highly conductive and transparent PEDOT:PSS films with a fluorosurfactant for stretchable and flexible transparent electrodes. Adv Funct Mater, 2012, 22: 421 doi: 10.1002/adfm.201101775
[20]
Mirri F, Ma A W K, Hsu T T, et al. High-performance carbon nanotube transparent conductive films by scalable dip coating. ACS Nano, 2012, 6: 9737 doi: 10.1021/nn303201g
[21]
Wang Y, Tong S W, Xu X F, et al. Interface engineering of layer-by-layer stacked graphene anodes for high-performance organic solar cells. Adv Mater, 2011, 23: 1514 doi: 10.1002/adma.201003673
[22]
Yu J S, Kim I, Kim J S, et al. Silver front electrode grids for ITO-free all printed polymer solar cells with embedded and raised topographies, prepared by thermal imprint, f1 exographic and inkjet roll-to-roll processes. Nanoscale, 2012, 4: 6032 doi: 10.1039/c2nr31508d
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Hu L, Kim H S, Lee J Y, et al. Scalable coating and properties of transparent, flexible, silver nanowire electrodes. ACS Nano, 2010, 4: 2955 doi: 10.1021/nn1005232
[24]
Choi D Y, Kang H W, Sung H J, et al. Annealing-free, flexible silver nanowire-polymer composite electrodes via a continuous two-step spray-coating method. Nanoscale, 2013, 5: 977 doi: 10.1039/C2NR32221H
[25]
Chen S, Song L, Tao Z, et al. Neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS as the over-coating layer for stable silver nanowire flexible transparent conductive films. Org Electron, 2014, 15: 3654 doi: 10.1016/j.orgel.2014.09.047
[26]
Zhuo B, Chen S, Zhao M, et al. High sensitivity flexible capacitive pressure sensor using polydimethylsiloxane elastomer dielectric layer micro-structured by three-dimensional printed mold. IEEE J Electron Devices, 2017, 5: 219 doi: 10.1109/JEDS.2017.2683558
[27]
Chen S, Cui Q, Guo X. Annealing-free solution processed silver nanowire-polymer composite transparent electrodes and flexible device applications. IEEE Nanotechnol, 2014, 14: 36
Fig. 1.  (Color online) (a) The experimental setup for the coating processes (blade-coating and bar-coating) used in this work. (b) Illustration of the fabrication procedure for the PDMS/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS soft conductive films.

Fig. 2.  (Color online) (a) Illustration of the maskless approach for patterning the soft conductive film. (b) Illustration of the procedure for fabricating the pressure sensor array using the PDMS/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS films as the electrodes and microstructured PDMS dielectric layer.

Fig. 3.  (Color online) (a) Influence of the coating speed on the sheet resistance of the formed AgNW films without and with the neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS layer. (b) Photo image of the formed AgNW network by twice bar-coating processes. (c) Comparison of the sheet resistance of the AgNW/neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS films without and with DMSO modification. (d) Histogram of the statistical distribution of the measured sheet resistance values of 9 locations over 6 films.

Fig. 4.  (Color online) The resistance changes of the soft conductive films fabricated on PDMS substrate (a) without and (b) with the neutral PEDOT:PSS layer upon continuous stretching of 20% and relaxation for 6000 s.

Fig. 5.  (Color online) The measured sheet resistance over time for the different conductive films being exposed in the air ambient.

Fig. 6.  (Color online) (a) The photo image of the fabricated flexible pressure sensor with the PDMS/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS composite films as the electrodes. (b) Comparison of the measured relative capacitance change (ΔC/C0) as a function of the applied pressure for the sensors using two different electrodes.

Fig. 7.  (Color online) (a) Photo images of the fabricated 8 × 8 pressure sensor arrays using the ITO/PET (left) and the PDMS/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS (right) as the electrodes, and illustration of the pixel where the pressure is applied. (b) Mapping of the measured relative capacitance changes of the 64 pixels for the two sensor arrays using the ITO/PET (left) and the PDMS/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS (right) as the electrodes, respectively.

[1]
Lai Y C, Ye B W, Lu C F, et al. Extraordinarily sensitive and low-voltage operational cloth-based electronic skin for wearable sensing and multifunctional integration uses: a tactile-induced insulating-to-conducting transition. Adv Funct Mater, 2016, 26: 1286 doi: 10.1002/adfm.v26.8
[2]
Lee J, Kwon H, Seo J, et al. Conductive fiber-based ultrasensitive textile pressure sensor for wearable electronics. Adv Mater, 2015, 27: 2433 doi: 10.1002/adma.201500009
[3]
Li Y, Samad Y A, Liao K. From cotton to wearable pressure sensor. J Mater Chem A, 2015, 3: 2181 doi: 10.1039/C4TA05810K
[4]
Chen S, Zhuo B, Guo X. Large area one-step facile processing of picrostructured elastomeric dielectric film for high sensitivity and durable sensing over wide pressure range. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2016, 8: 20364 doi: 10.1021/acsami.6b05177
[5]
Pang C, Lee G Y, Kim T I, et al. A flexible and highly sensitive strain-gauge sensor using reversible interlocking of nanofibres. Nat Mater, 2012, 11: 795 doi: 10.1038/nmat3380
[6]
Joo Y, Byun J, Seong N, et al. Silver nanowire-embedded PDMS with a multiscale structure for a highly sensitive and robust flexible pressure sensor. Nanoscale, 2015, 7: 6208 doi: 10.1039/C5NR00313J
[7]
Chen S, Guo X. Improving the sensitivity of elastic capacitive pressure sensors using silver nanowire mesh electrodes. IEEE Nanotechnol, 2015, 14: 619 doi: 10.1109/TNANO.2015.2422993
[8]
Yao S, Zhu Y. Wearable multifunctional sensors using printed stretchable conductors made of silver nanowires. Nanoscale, 2015, 6: 2345
[9]
Kwon D, Lee T I, Shim J, et al. Highly sensitive, flexible, and wearable pressure sensor based on a giant piezocapacitive effect of three-dimensional microporous elastomeric dielectric layer. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2016, 8: 16922 doi: 10.1021/acsami.6b04225
[10]
Li T, Luo H, Qin L, et al. Flexible capacitie tactile sensor based on micropatterned dielectric layer. Small, 2016, 12: 5042 doi: 10.1002/smll.v12.36
[11]
Pang C, Koo J H, Nguyen A, et al. Highly skin-conformal microhairy sensor for pulse signal amplification. Adv Mater, 2015, 27: 634 doi: 10.1002/adma.201403807
[12]
Boutry C M, Nguyen A, Lawal Q O, et al. A sensitive and biodegradable pressure sensor array for cardiovascular monitoring. Adv Mater, 2015, 27: 6954 doi: 10.1002/adma.201502535
[13]
Tee B C K, Chortos A, Dunn R R, et al. Tunable flexible pressure sensors using microstructured elastomer geometries for intuitive electronics. Adv Funct Mater, 2014, 24: 5427 doi: 10.1002/adfm.201400712
[14]
Madsen F B, Daugaard A E, Hvilsted S, et al. The current state of silicone-based dielectric elastomer transducers. Macromol Rapid Comm, 2016, 37: 378 doi: 10.1002/marc.v37.5
[15]
Mannsfeld S C B, Tee B C K, Stoltenberg R M, et al. Highly sensitive flexible pressure sensors with microstructured rubber dielectric layers. Nat Mater, 2010, 9: 859 doi: 10.1038/nmat2834
[16]
Kang S, Lee J, Lee S, et al. Highly sensitive pressure sensor based on bioinspired porous structure for real-time tactile sensing. Adv Electron Mater, 2016, 12: 1600356
[17]
Lee B Y, Kim J, Kim H, et al. Low-cost flexible pressure sensor based on dielectric elastomer film with micro-pores. Sens Actuators A, 2016, 240: 103 doi: 10.1016/j.sna.2016.01.037
[18]
Madaria A R, Kumar A, Ishikawa F N, et al. Uniform, highly conductive, and patterned transparent films of a percolating silver nanowire network on rigid and flexible substrates using a dry transfer technique. Nano Res, 2010, 3: 564 doi: 10.1007/s12274-010-0017-5
[19]
Vosgueritchian M, Lipomi D J, Bao Z. Highly conductive and transparent PEDOT:PSS films with a fluorosurfactant for stretchable and flexible transparent electrodes. Adv Funct Mater, 2012, 22: 421 doi: 10.1002/adfm.201101775
[20]
Mirri F, Ma A W K, Hsu T T, et al. High-performance carbon nanotube transparent conductive films by scalable dip coating. ACS Nano, 2012, 6: 9737 doi: 10.1021/nn303201g
[21]
Wang Y, Tong S W, Xu X F, et al. Interface engineering of layer-by-layer stacked graphene anodes for high-performance organic solar cells. Adv Mater, 2011, 23: 1514 doi: 10.1002/adma.201003673
[22]
Yu J S, Kim I, Kim J S, et al. Silver front electrode grids for ITO-free all printed polymer solar cells with embedded and raised topographies, prepared by thermal imprint, f1 exographic and inkjet roll-to-roll processes. Nanoscale, 2012, 4: 6032 doi: 10.1039/c2nr31508d
[23]
Hu L, Kim H S, Lee J Y, et al. Scalable coating and properties of transparent, flexible, silver nanowire electrodes. ACS Nano, 2010, 4: 2955 doi: 10.1021/nn1005232
[24]
Choi D Y, Kang H W, Sung H J, et al. Annealing-free, flexible silver nanowire-polymer composite electrodes via a continuous two-step spray-coating method. Nanoscale, 2013, 5: 977 doi: 10.1039/C2NR32221H
[25]
Chen S, Song L, Tao Z, et al. Neutral-pH PEDOT:PSS as the over-coating layer for stable silver nanowire flexible transparent conductive films. Org Electron, 2014, 15: 3654 doi: 10.1016/j.orgel.2014.09.047
[26]
Zhuo B, Chen S, Zhao M, et al. High sensitivity flexible capacitive pressure sensor using polydimethylsiloxane elastomer dielectric layer micro-structured by three-dimensional printed mold. IEEE J Electron Devices, 2017, 5: 219 doi: 10.1109/JEDS.2017.2683558
[27]
Chen S, Cui Q, Guo X. Annealing-free solution processed silver nanowire-polymer composite transparent electrodes and flexible device applications. IEEE Nanotechnol, 2014, 14: 36
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    Received: 01 August 2017 Revised: 07 November 2017 Online: Accepted Manuscript: 29 November 2017Published: 01 January 2018

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      Sujie Chen, Siying Li, Sai Peng, Yukun Huang, Jiaqing Zhao, Wei Tang, Xiaojun Guo. Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2018, 39(1): 013001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/1/013001 S J Chen, S Y Li, S Peng, Y K Huang, J Q Zhao, W Tang, X J Guo, Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array[J]. J. Semicond., 2018, 39(1): 013001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/1/013001.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      Sujie Chen, Siying Li, Sai Peng, Yukun Huang, Jiaqing Zhao, Wei Tang, Xiaojun Guo. Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2018, 39(1): 013001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/1/013001

      S J Chen, S Y Li, S Peng, Y K Huang, J Q Zhao, W Tang, X J Guo, Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array[J]. J. Semicond., 2018, 39(1): 013001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/1/013001.
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      Silver nanowire/polymer composite soft conductive film fabricated by large-area compatible coating for flexible pressure sensor array

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/1/013001
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      Project supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (No. 16JC1400603).

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      • Corresponding author: Email: x.guo@sjtu.edu.cn
      • Received Date: 2017-08-01
      • Revised Date: 2017-11-07
      • Published Date: 2018-01-01

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