Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications

Next-generation flexible, soft, and stretchable sensors and electronic devices are conquering the technological scene due to their extremely innovative applications. Especially when produced via innovative technologies like additive manufacturing (AM) and/or inkjet printing (IJP), they represent an...

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Main Authors: Giulia Mecca, Roberto Bernasconi, Valentina Zega, Raffaella Suriano, Marco Menegazzo, Gianlorenzo Bussetti, Alberto Corigliano, Luca Magagnin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Technologies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7080/13/5/206
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author Giulia Mecca
Roberto Bernasconi
Valentina Zega
Raffaella Suriano
Marco Menegazzo
Gianlorenzo Bussetti
Alberto Corigliano
Luca Magagnin
author_facet Giulia Mecca
Roberto Bernasconi
Valentina Zega
Raffaella Suriano
Marco Menegazzo
Gianlorenzo Bussetti
Alberto Corigliano
Luca Magagnin
author_sort Giulia Mecca
collection DOAJ
description Next-generation flexible, soft, and stretchable sensors and electronic devices are conquering the technological scene due to their extremely innovative applications. Especially when produced via innovative technologies like additive manufacturing (AM) and/or inkjet printing (IJP), they represent an undeniable strategic asset for Industry 5.0. Within the growing sensor market, they offer advantages in terms of sensitivity and maximum sensing range. In addition, the use of AM/IJP reduces material waste, enhances scalability, and lowers cost production. In the present work, the design and fabrication of a highly flexible inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensor on top of a thin highly flexible polyimide substrate are presented. The silver top and bottom electrodes were inkjet-printed together with a P(VDF-TrFE) active layer with a nominal thickness of 3 μm which is located between them. The experimental results demonstrate that, even in extreme bending conditions and at different bending speeds, the fabricated sensors are able to maintain their performance without mechanical delamination, giving a stable and repeatable output peak-to-peak signal of 850 mV under cyclic bending. The material combination and the IJP-based fabrication technique employed for the first time in this work to produce highly flexible sensors represent a promising novelty in terms of both sensor performance and customization possibilities.
format Article
id doaj-art-a4f7d2935d9a491591db3e0b18f849ff
institution Kabale University
issn 2227-7080
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Technologies
spelling doaj-art-a4f7d2935d9a491591db3e0b18f849ff2025-08-20T03:48:01ZengMDPI AGTechnologies2227-70802025-05-0113520610.3390/technologies13050206Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation ApplicationsGiulia Mecca0Roberto Bernasconi1Valentina Zega2Raffaella Suriano3Marco Menegazzo4Gianlorenzo Bussetti5Alberto Corigliano6Luca Magagnin7Dipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Chimica, Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milan, ItalyNext-generation flexible, soft, and stretchable sensors and electronic devices are conquering the technological scene due to their extremely innovative applications. Especially when produced via innovative technologies like additive manufacturing (AM) and/or inkjet printing (IJP), they represent an undeniable strategic asset for Industry 5.0. Within the growing sensor market, they offer advantages in terms of sensitivity and maximum sensing range. In addition, the use of AM/IJP reduces material waste, enhances scalability, and lowers cost production. In the present work, the design and fabrication of a highly flexible inkjet-printed piezoelectric sensor on top of a thin highly flexible polyimide substrate are presented. The silver top and bottom electrodes were inkjet-printed together with a P(VDF-TrFE) active layer with a nominal thickness of 3 μm which is located between them. The experimental results demonstrate that, even in extreme bending conditions and at different bending speeds, the fabricated sensors are able to maintain their performance without mechanical delamination, giving a stable and repeatable output peak-to-peak signal of 850 mV under cyclic bending. The material combination and the IJP-based fabrication technique employed for the first time in this work to produce highly flexible sensors represent a promising novelty in terms of both sensor performance and customization possibilities.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7080/13/5/206piezoelectric sensorinkjet printingpiezopolymerlarge deformationsmulti-material
spellingShingle Giulia Mecca
Roberto Bernasconi
Valentina Zega
Raffaella Suriano
Marco Menegazzo
Gianlorenzo Bussetti
Alberto Corigliano
Luca Magagnin
Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
Technologies
piezoelectric sensor
inkjet printing
piezopolymer
large deformations
multi-material
title Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
title_full Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
title_fullStr Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
title_full_unstemmed Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
title_short Inkjet-Printed Flexible Piezoelectric Sensor for Large Deformation Applications
title_sort inkjet printed flexible piezoelectric sensor for large deformation applications
topic piezoelectric sensor
inkjet printing
piezopolymer
large deformations
multi-material
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7080/13/5/206
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AT robertobernasconi inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT valentinazega inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT raffaellasuriano inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT marcomenegazzo inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT gianlorenzobussetti inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT albertocorigliano inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications
AT lucamagagnin inkjetprintedflexiblepiezoelectricsensorforlargedeformationapplications