Highly Sensitive Solvent-free Silver Nanoparticle Strain Sensors with Tunable Sensitivity Created Using an Aerodynamically Focused Nanoparticle Printer

We developed and
presented highly sensitive solvent-free silver
nanoparticle strain sensors fabricated using the aerodynamically focused
nanoparticle (AFN) printer. The nanoparticles were printed in various
conductive patterns. We explored how printer scan velocity affected
pattern geometry and sensor sensitivity. The strain sensors were highly
sensitive; the scan velocity afforded tunable sensitivity; and an
analytical model predicted the behavior well under low-strain
(<0.4%) conditions. We describe a prototype sensor that reliably
measured composite beam tensile strain. We further enhanced the sensitivity
by creating mechanical cracks, facilitating small dynamic signal measurements.
The linear sensitivity of the sensor could be tuned from 18.60 to
290.62 by varying the scan velocity from 2 to 40 μm/s. The cracked
sensor afforded the greatest sensitivity (1056) and captured small
vibrations from a stringed instrument. We report highly sensitive
and reliable measurements of dynamic behavior with simple tunability.