The continuous and long-lasting monitoring of physiological signals induced from the human body is crucial for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and treatment. In this study, we have reported the Seebeck effect-based flexible selfpowered temperature sensor which can convert the electric signals from lateral temperature difference. For demonstrating temperature sensor arrays, the p-type thermoelectric (TE) composite films were fabricated by dispersing the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (BST) powders inside poly-vinylidene fluoride matrix and subsequently attached to the patterned electrode foils. The inorganic BST powders-embedded TE composite films with activated area of 0.5 × 1 cm² harvest a maximum voltage of 1.7 mV, a maximum current of 5.6 mA, and an output power of 2.6 nW from the temperature gradient (ΔT) of 20 K. Finally, the fabricated selfpowered temperature sensor array well detected the pattern images of external thermal source of ΔT = 20 K. This study manifests flexible temperature sensor array which paves the way for further advancements in this field.
Controlling ambient humid condition through high performance humidity sensors has become important for various fields, including industrial process, food storage, and the preservation of historic remains. Although aerosol deposited humidity sensors using ceramic BaTiO3 (BT) material have been widely studied because of their longtime stability, there remain critical disadvantages, such as low sensitivity, low linearity, and slow response/recovery time in case of the sensors fabricated at room temperature. To achieve superior humidity sensing properties even at room temperature condition, BT-Cu composite films utilizing aerosol deposition (AD) process have been proposed based on the percolation theory. The BT-Cu composite films showed gradually improved sensing properties until the Cu concentration reached 15 wt% in the composite film. However, the excessive Cu (above 30 wt%) containing BT-Cu composite films showed a rapid decrease of the sensing properties. The results of observed surface morphology of the AD fabricated composite films, to figure out the metal filler effect, showed correlation between surface topography as well as size and the amount of open pores according to the metal filler content. Overall, it is very important not only dielectric constant of the humidity sensing films but also microstructures, because they affect either the variation range of capacitance by ambient humidity or adsorption/desorption of ambient humidity onto/from the humidity sensing films.
In particular, gas sensors require characteristics such as high speed, sensitivity, and selectivity. In this study, we fabricated a NOX gas sensor by using a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/zinc oxide (ZnO) composite film. The fabricated MWCNT/ZnO gas sensor was then treated by a 450℃ temperature process to increase its detection sensitivity for NOx gas. We compared the detection characteristics of a ZnO film gas sensor, MWCNT film gas sensor, and the MWCNT/ZnO composited film gas sensor with and without the heat-treatment process. The fabricated gas sensors were used to detect NOX gas at different concentrations. The gas sensor absorbed NOX gas molecules, exhibiting increased sensitivity. The sensitivity of the gas sensor was increased by increasing the gas concentration. Additionally, while changing the temperature inside the chamber for the MWCNT/ZnO composite film gas sensor, we obtained its sensitivity for detecting NOX gas. Compared with ZnO, the MWCNT film gas sensor is excellent for detecting NOX gas. From the experimental results, we confirmed the enhanced gas sensor sensing mechanism. The increased effect by electronic interaction between the MWCNT and ZnO films contributes to the improved sensor performance.
In this study, we fabricated an NOX gas sensor using a composite film of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)/zinc oxide (ZnO). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show good electronic conductivity and chemical-stability, and zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap semiconductor with a large exciton binding energy. Gas sensors require characteristics such as high speed, sensitivity, and selectivity. The fabricated gas sensor was used to detect NOX gas at different NOX concentrations. The sensitivity of the gas sensor increased with increasing gas concentrations. Additionally, while changing the temperature inside the chamber containing the MWCNT/ZnO gas sensor, we obtained the sensitivity and normalized responses for detecting NOX gas in comparison to ZnO and MWCNT film gas sensors. From the experimental results, we confirmed that the gas sensor sensing mechanism was enhanced in the composite-film gas-sensor and that the electronic interaction between MWCNT and ZnO contributed to the improved sensor performance.
In this study, we fabricated NOX gas sensor by using multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNT)/zinc oxide(ZnO) composite film. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have good electronic, chemical-stability, and sensitivity characteristics. And zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide band gap and large exciton binding energy semiconductor. In particular, gas sensors require characteristics such as high speed, sensitivity, and selectivity. The fabricated gas sensor was used to detect NOX gas for different values of the NOX gas concentrations. The gas sensor that absorbed NOX gas molecules showed a increasing in resistance. The sensitivity of the gas sensor was increased by increasing the gas concentrations. Additionally, while changing the temperature inside the chamber for the MWCNT/ZnO composite film gas sensor, we obtained the sensitivity. And the comparison analysis to ZnO film gas sensor for detecting NOX gas. From the experiment result, we confirmed improvement of NOX gas detection characteristics using the MWCNT/ZnO composite film.
In this paper, we fabricated organic compounds detector using the MWCNT/PMMA (multi-walled carbon nanotube / polymethylmethacrylate) composite film. We used polymer film as a matrix material for the device framework, and introduced CNTs for reacting with the organic compounds resulting in changing electrical conductivity. Spray coating method was used to form the MWCNT/PMMA composite film detector, and pattern formation of the detector was done by shadow mask during the spray coating process. We investigated changes of electrical conductivity of the detector before and after the organic compounds exposure. Electrical conductivity of the detector tended to decrease after the exposure with various organic compounds such as acetone, tetrahydrofuran(THF), toluene, and dimethylformamide (DMF). Finally we conclude that organic compounds detection by the MWCNT/PMMA composite film detector was possible, and expect the feasibility of commercial MWCNT/PMMA composite film detector for various organic compounds.
In this paper, we investigated the relations between dispersion of CNTs (carbon nanotubes) and electrical conductivity in the CNT/PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) composite film. By adding hydrophobic CNTs as filler into the PVDF matrix, we fabricated hydrophobic and electrically conducting polymer coating film. Dispersion of CNTs in the CNT/PVDF composite film plays a significant role in terms of electrical conductivity and wetting property. Spray coating method was used to form the CNT/PVDF composite films by injecting the dispersed CNTs in the PVDF solution with different weight ratios from 0.7 wt% to 7 wt%. We investigated the electrical properties and contact angles of the CNT/PVDF composite films with the CNT concentration. Finally we discussed the conducting mechanism and feasibility of the CNT/PVDF composite film for the conducting polymer films.
In this paper, we fabricated flexible antenna radiator using the CNT/PVDF (carbon nanotube /polyviny lidene fluoride) composite film. We used polymer film as a matrix material for the flexible devices, and introduced CNTs for adding conductivity into the film resulting in obtaining performances of the antenna radiator. Spray coating method was used to form the CNT/PVDF composite radiator, and pattern formation of the radiator was done by shadow mask during the spray coating process. We investigated the electrical properties of the CNT/PVDF composite films with the CNT concentration, and also estimated the radiator performance. Finally we discuss the feasibility of the CNT/PVDF composite radiator for the flexible antenna.
In this paper, we propose a enhanced anti-corrosion property of the ground system by coatingthe CNT/PVDF composite film on it. Polymer material used for preventing the corrosion of groundsystem is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and conducting filler for obtaining conductivity of the compositefilm is multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs were dispersed in the organic solventof methyl ethyl ketone 2-butanone (MEK) with different concentration ratios, and the PVDF was solvedin the MEK solvent with constant concentration ratio of 1 wt%. The CNT/PVDF composite solution wasperpared by mixing and re-dispersing the CNT solution and the PVDF solution. Finally, the CNT/PVDFcomposite films were fabricated by the spray coating method using the above composite solution. Electrical conductivity, surface states, and anti-corrosion property of the CNT/PVDF composite filmscoated on the Cu substrate were evaluated. We found that the CNT/PVDF composite film showedrelatively low resistance, hydrophobic surface state, and chemical stability. Consequently, we couldimprove the anti-corrosion property and maintain the electrical conductivity of the ground system bycoating the CNT/PVDF composite film on it.
The carbon nanotube / poly-vinylidene fluoride (CNT/PVDF) composite films for the nano-generator devices were fabricated by spray coating method using the CNT/PVDF solution, which was prepared by adding PVDF pellets into the CNT dispersed N-Methyl-2-pyrroli-done (NMP) solution. The flexible CNT/PVDF composite films were investigated by the scanning electron microscopy, which revealed that the CNTs were uniformly dispersed in the PVDF matrix and thickness of the films was approximately 20 jim. Fourier transform infra-red spectra were used to investigate crystal structure of the as-spray-coated CNT/PVDF films, and we found that they revealed extremely large portion of the f3 phase PVDF. The capacitance of the CNT/PVDF films increased by adding CNTs into the PVDF matrix, and finally saturated. However, the resistance didn`t show any saturation effect in the CNT concentration range of 0- 4 wt%. Finally, the resulting nano-generator devices revealed reasonable current output after given mechanical stress.
Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNT) / polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric composite films for nanogenerator devices were fabricated by spray coating method. When the CNT/PVDF mixture solution passes through the spray nozzle with small diameter by the compressed nitrogen gas, electric charges are generated in the liquid by a triboelectric effect. Then randomly distributed {3 phase PVDF film could be re-oriented by the electric field resulting from the accumulated electrical charges, and might be resulted in extremely one-directionally aligned 13 phase PVDF film without additional electric field for poling. X-ray diffraction patterns were used to investigate crystal structure of the CNT/PVDF composite films. It was confirmed that they revealed extremely large portion of the f3 phase PVDF crystalline in the film. Therefore we could obtain the poled CNT/PVDF piezoelectric composite films by the spray coating method without additional poling process.