E-skin sensor self-heals and can be recycled
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the air diffuses into the sensor and swells its polymer network, relative resistance changes can also track that parameter with a high accuracy rom communications to health care (0.22 %/% RH). The researchers tested to entertainment, materials research these sensors in dynamic environments is rapidly advancing to improve the interand successfully deconvoluted specific face between humans and machines, with properties from constantly changing surthe aim of shrinking down wearable techrounding conditions. nology and adapting them to the contours “This e-skin is sensitive and flexible, of our bodies. In the process, researchers so that it can be mounted onto prosthetic want to make devices as efficient and inexhands to provide sensation,” Xiao says. pensive as possible. Now a research team “Another example is to integrate e-skin from the Mechanical Engineering and on robotic arms and fingers, then robots Chemistry Departments of the University can do many fine tasks like humans, such of Colorado Boulder has designed an elecas holding a baby comfortably.” tronic skin (“e-skin”) nanocomposite that The most exciting feature of this desenses haptics (force), temperature, liquid vice is its ability to repair and regenerate. and airflow rates, and environmental huThese sensors may often encounter cuts midity. The team leaders—Professors Wei and abrasions that erode their functionZhang and Jianliang Xiao—along with coality. The team led by Zhang and Xiao authors—Zhanan Zou, Chengpu Zhu, Yan discovered that, once they applied a reLi, and Xingfeng Lei—published their dehealing solution (a dispersion of the origisign in a recent issue of Science Advances nal chemical precursors in ethanol) and (doi:10.1126/sciadv.aaq0508). heat-pressed the device, polymers regrew The researchers used a polyimine across cuts in the device and sealed all polymer as the basis for their bioinspired broken surfaces. The resulting chemical flexible device and relied on commer“stitches” are much stronger than tracially available monomers to produce it. ditional noncovalent bonds that repair fractures, and the performance of the repaired device returned to its full capacity. Multiple cuts and multiple reheals did not degrade performance in any way. Going even further, the researchers designed a recycling solution that deconstructs the thermoset into short oligomers/ precursors and silver nanoparticles. These, in turn, can be used to make new devices with different shapes and functionalities. From start to finish, less than 6 hours are needed to break down an old device and make a new one. This unique capability reduces cost and electronic waste and makes this approach even more attractive. Boris Dyatkin A conceptual illustration of the flexible, self-healing, and recyclable electronic skin sensor. Credit: Science Advances. E-skin sensor self-heals and can be recycled
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