Liquid-State Environment Sensors Using Liquid Metal. (23rd July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ota, Hiroki
• Is Part Of: ECS transactions. Volume 86:Number 16(2018)
• Page Start: 31
• Page End: 38
• Publication Date: 2018-07-23
• Subjects: Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Electronic journal; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1149/08616.0031ecst
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1938-5862

Abstract

Abstract : Mechanically deformable devices and sensors such as flexible sensors enable conformal coverage of electronic systems on curved and soft surfaces. Sensors utilizing liquids confined in soft templates as the sensing component present the ideal platform for such applications, as liquids are inherently more deformable than solids. However, to date, current liquid-metal based strain sensors are incapable of resolving small pressure changes in the few kPa range, making them unsuitable for applications such as heart-rate monitoring which require much lower pressure detection resolution. In addition, liquid-based devices have been limited to metal lines based on a single liquid component given the difficulty in the fabrication of liquid-based junctions due to intermixing. Here we demonstrate microfluidic environmental sensors using liquid metal, highly sensitive pressure sensor based on tactile diaphragm pressure sensor, and temperature/humidity/oxygen sensors with mechanically robust liquid-liquid "heterojunction". This report will present an important advancement towards the realization of liquid-state electronics.