Multifunctional Woven Structure Operating as Triboelectric Energy Harvester, Capacitive Tactile Sensor Array, and Piezoresistive Strain Sensor Array

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2017-11, Vol.17 (11), p.2582
• Main Authors: Kim, Kihong, Song, Giyoung, Park, Cheolmin, Yun, Kwang-Seok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: capacitive sensors; Energy harvesting; Energy measurement; Nanowires; Piezoresistivity; Sensor arrays; Sensors; Silver; smart fabric; strain sensors; tactile sensors; Tactile sensors (robotics); triboelectric energy harvester; Vertical forces; Warp; Weft
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s17112582

This paper presents a power-generating sensor array in a flexible and stretchable form. The proposed device is composed of resistive strain sensors, capacitive tactile sensors, and a triboelectric energy harvester in a single platform. The device is implemented in a woven textile structure by using proposed functional threads. A single functional thread is composed of a flexible hollow tube coated with silver nanowires on the outer surface and a conductive silver thread inside the tube. The total size of the device is 60 × 60 mm² having a 5 × 5 array of sensor cell. The touch force in the vertical direction can be sensed by measuring the capacitance between the warp and weft functional threads. In addition, because silver nanowire layers provide piezoresistivity, the strain applied in the lateral direction can be detected by measuring the resistance of each thread. Last, with regard to the energy harvester, the maximum power and power density were measured as 201 μW and 0.48 W/m², respectively, when the device was pushed in the vertical direction.