One-step fabrication of highly sensitive pressure sensor by all FDM printing

A highly sensitive pressure sensor with a sandwich structure is developed through one-step fabrication with a double nozzle FDM printer. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and ionic liquid (IL) are introduced into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to obtain high beta phase composites (named PIM), which serves as piezoelectric layer, and a conductive PVDF composites is used as electrode materials. Post-processing steps are not required because of the strong adhesion between the above layers. The 4-layer PIM sensor exhibits a high sensitivity (2.65 V kPa(-1)) and excellent long-term stability (10000 cycles), which is further successfully applied in gait recognition.

Automated summary

A highly sensitive pressure sensor with a sandwich structure was developed using a double nozzle FDM printer. The sensor, consisting of high beta phase composite and conductive PVDF composite, demonstrated high sensitivity and excellent long-term stability.