B1.3 - Printed Piezoresistive Strain Sensors for Monitoring of Light-Weight Structures
- Event
- SENSOR+TEST Conferences 2011
2011-06-07 - 2011-06-09
Nürnberg - Band
- Proceedings SENSOR 2011
- Chapter
- B1 - Piezoresistive Sensors
- Author(s)
- J. Rausch, L. Salun, S. Grieheimer, M. Ibis, R. Werthschützky - Technische Universität Darmstadt (Germany)
- Pages
- 216 - 221
- DOI
- 10.5162/sensor11/b1.3
- ISBN
- 978-3-9810993-9-3
- Price
- free
Abstract
In order to monitor or even control light-weight structures and predict their durability, strain sensors can be integrated into systems. Using printing technology, sensors can be implemented during the manufacturing process of the structure itself. Besides the characterization of functional inks capable for sensor applications, design, fabrication process, and test of screen- and inkjet printed piezoresistive strain sensors are focussed.
In this paper we present the design and test of printed strain sensors, which can be integrated in light-weight structures for monitoring purposes. We focus on composite structures consisting of a metal substrate and layers of insulating and conductive ink layers for sensing normal strain at the surface.
Both, inkjet and screen printing technology are used to realize resistive topologies that can be evaluated using a Wheatstone bridge configuretion. We analyzed electrical properties, which are necessary for the sensor design, of both insulating and conducting inks with a low drying temperature.
Sensing effect of different conductive inks is investigated in a four-point bending set up. Performing loading and unloading cycles, gauge factor, cross sensitivity, nonlinearity and hysteresis error of the sensors were measured. An adjustable design of printed strain sensors is derived.