Self-Powered Stretchable Mechanoluminescent Optical Fiber Strain Sensor

Strain sensors that can work sustainably and continuously without any external power supply are highly desirable for future wearable and implantable devices. Herein, a self-powered stretchable strain sensor based on the integration of mechanoluminescent phosphors with an elastomer optical fiber is proposed and developed. This mechanoluminescent optical fiber is capable of emitting light just driven by external strain, without the need of an external light source or electric power. The strain-induced emitted light can be collected and guided along the mechanoluminescent optical fiber. The sensor exhibits linear strain response up to 50% and high-accuracy strain measurement (+/- 1%). Moreover, this optical fiber strain sensor displays consistent signals over 10 000 stretch-release motion cycles, which demonstrates the good durability of the sensor. Due to the excellent light confinement of the elastomer optical fiber, this strain sensor is demonstrated in both bright- and dark-field measurements, wearable gloves, and an implantable sensing device, thereby demonstrating potential as a promising technology for future self-powered optical sensor systems.

Automated summary

The self-powered stretchable strain sensor proposed in this study integrates mechanoluminescent phosphors with an elastomer optical fiber to emit light driven by external strain without the need for external power. It exhibits high accuracy and durability, with potential applications in a variety of scenarios, making it a promising technology for future self-powered optical sensor systems.