Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape Based Flexible Strain Sensor
Technology Category/Market
Electronics–Strain / Tactile Sensor.
Industry- Healthcare, Biomedical Engineering,
Applications-Structural Health Monitoring device, wearable electronics, robotics rehabilitation and bio-functional prosthetics.
Market – The Global Strain Sensor Market is projected to grow from USD 1.02 billion in 2017 to USD 2.06 billion by 2030, at 7.5% CAGR from 2017 to 2030.
Targeted Industries
Watermarking IP design,
Electronic circuits
Image Gallery
Problem Statement
- A strain gauge is a sensor which converts mechanical deformation of the substrate to the change in electrical resistance, the resilience and gauge factor are existing limitation of current strain sensor.
- In sensor installation phase, using of inappropriate adhesives from the market, long curing time for certain kinds of adhesives and no control over the manual adhesive coating, which causes uneven thickness profile which affects sensor performance.
- Hindrance of Flexible Sensors to Reach Market: Most design often ignorespackaging feasibility and non-compatibility with existing industrial manufacturing process.
Technology
- Nanomaterial Functionalization: Carbon nanotube is polymer functionalized to achieve consistent sensing performance throughout the sensor tape.
- Polymer Nanocomposite: flexible strain sensor film is a homogenized mixture of the carbon nanotube and polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).
- Design Framework: Flexible strain sensor tape comprises of one polymer nanocomposite flexible stain sensor film; one acrylic based pressure sensitive adhesive layer in bottom; and one copper electrode layer on top.
- Problem Addressed: This strain sensor tape design solves laborious and time consumed installation process and provides viable sensor packaging and easily adaptable industrial manufacturing process.
Key Features/Value Proposition
User Perspective:
- The strain sensor tape allows to peel sensor flexibly from the big roll based on the required length.
- Smart peel and stick model enables effortless installation process to the user.
- Using of PSA avoids long curing time and enables quick fabrication process to the user.
Industrial Perspective:
- This design framework ensures viable packaging to the flexible strain sensor.
- Easily adaptable in the industrial manufacturing process.
- Sensor, adhesive and contact pad are designed in a single entity make the product smart and competitive.
Technical Perspective:
- Effective Strain Transmission: The uniform thin coating of PSA layer with controlled thickness helps in effective transfer of strain experienced by the substrate to sensor.
- High sensitivity: The PSA tape based flexible strain sensor shows the gauge factor of 25 which is 12 times higher than the commercial metallic strain gauge.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
Research Lab
Prof. S Ramaprabhu
Department of Physics
Prof. Krishnan Balasubramanian
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Intellectual Property
IDF Ref: 2310
IN 202241015602.
Technology Readiness Level
TRL- 3/4
Proof of Concept Ready & tested and validated in Laboratory stage.