Triboelectric Pressure Sensor Using Pdms/Β-Si3n4 Micro-Composite for Plantar Pressure Detection

Abstract

The design and fabrication of flexible pressure sensors are critical for the development of portable and wearable electronic devices. In this study, a novel flexible polymer micro-composite based pressure sensor was fabricated using pristine polydimethylsiloxane elastomer (PDMS) integrated with β-Si3N4, which enhance the overall triboelectric property of the composite. The sensor consisted of a copper/PDMS+β-Si3N4/copper tri-layer structure, all encapsulated within a polypropylene sheet. The best fabricated pressure sensor (PDMS+10% β-Si3N4) was selected based on the device performance evaluation, yielding an optimum output voltage of 4.72 V and power density18.84 mW/m2 at a load resistance of 1 MΩ. Experimental results demonstrated the optimized device generated output voltages of 0.75 V, and 15.78 V for the applied forces of 0.15 N and 5 N, respectively. Furthermore, the prototype device was placed on the foot to assess pressure measurement capabilities proving effective across individuals of varying weights. The results demonstrated the promising application of the polymer micro-composite based flexible pressure sensor for diagnosing plantar pathology-related diseases.

Keywords: Flexible pressure sensor, triboelectric nanogenerator, PDMS, Silicon nitride, plantar pressure