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Polyimide Based Flexible and Bio-Inspired Sensors: From Fundamental to Application

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 6841

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Bin Li

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Guest Editor

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Interests: polyimide design; flexible devices, biomimetic chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mechanically rigid sensors have disadvantages when used in intimately wearable or bio-integrated applications. While flexible electronic devices and sensors that are adaptable to polyimide (PI) as substrate materials and surfaces, will be a key enabling technology for many applications such as future display, robotics, in vitro diagnostics, advanced therapies, and energy harvesting. The rapid development of flexible electronics has made it possible to realize flexible sensors with high sensitivity and a wide detection range. The polyimide materials have attracted the attention of many researchers in the field of flexible sensors to explore polyimides in detail along with its key properties such as mechanical, thermal, electrical, etc., and understand what makes it an ideal choice in flexible and bio-inspired sensors applications. As an attractive dielectric material, polyimide has been widely used in the field of flexible and bio-inspired sensors fulfilling the increasing need for materials that can perform well under harsh conditions.

The related fundamental studies that improve understanding of the science relevant for flexible and bio-inspired devices and sensors including simulation and mechanism, and research that aims to achieve new technologies that might lead to low-cost flexible devices with advanced functionality such as the challenges and new methods of large-scale manufacturing are both welcome. The common design and fabrication strategies for flexibility and stretchability, the recent application-oriented flexible devices sensors, and the opportunities for the future development of flexible sensors are also welcome.

This Special Issue covers experimental and theoretical research focused on flexible and bio-inspired sensors especially based on functional polyimide technologies, which match the scope of chemosensors. Both the review and original research articles are welcome.

Dr. Bin Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

polyimide based electronics/sensors
bio-inspired flexible sensors
flexible intelligent sensors
biocompatible flexible devices
rational design of polyimide
materials for flexible electronics and sensors
devices design and fabrication strategy
data-driven design of flexible materials
simulation and mechanism in flexible devices and sensors
flexible electronic applications
trend of multifunctional flexible sensors
devices and sensors in flexible display

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 12211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Humidity Sensor Composed of Laser-Induced Graphene Electrode and Graphene Oxide for Monitoring Respiration and Skin Moisture

by Xianxiang Fei, Junyi Huang and Wenqing Shi

Sensors 2023, 23(15), 6784; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23156784 - 29 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1678

Abstract

Respiratory rate and skin humidity are important physiological signals and have become an important basis for disease diagnosis, and they can be monitored by humidity sensors. However, it is difficult to employ high-quality humidity sensors on a broad scale due to their high cost and complex fabrication. Here, we propose a reliable, convenient, and efficient method to mass-produce humidity sensors. A capacitive humidity sensor is obtained by ablating a polyimide (PI) film with a picosecond laser to produce an interdigital electrode (IDE), followed by drop-casting graphene oxide (GO) as a moisture-sensitive material on the electrode. The sensor has long-time stability, a wide relative humidity (RH) detection range from 10% to 90%, and high sensitivity (3862 pF/%RH). In comparison to previous methods, the technology avoids the complex procedures and expensive costs of conventional interdigital electrode preparation. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of the electrode gap size and the amount of graphene oxide on humidity sensor performance, analyze the humidity sensing mechanism by impedance spectrum, and finally perform the monitoring of human respiratory rate and skin humidity change in a non-contact manner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyimide Based Flexible and Bio-Inspired Sensors: From Fundamental to Application)

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Review

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24 pages, 8045 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Study Advances in Flexible Sensors Based on Polyimides

by Tianyong Zhang, Yamei Chai, Suisui Wang, Jianing Yu, Shuang Jiang, Wenxuan Zhu, Zihao Fang and Bin Li

Sensors 2023, 23(24), 9743; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249743 - 10 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

With the demand for healthy life and the great advancement of flexible electronics, flexible sensors are playing an irreplaceably important role in healthcare monitoring, wearable devices, clinic treatment, and so on. In particular, the design and application of polyimide (PI)-based sensors are emerging swiftly. However, the tremendous potential of PI in sensors is not deeply understood. This review focuses on recent studies in advanced applications of PI in flexible sensors, including PI nanofibers prepared by electrospinning as flexible substrates, PI aerogels as friction layers in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), PI films as sensitive layers based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in relative humidity (RH) sensors, photosensitive PI (PSPI) as sacrificial layers, and more. The simple laser-induced graphene (LIG) technique is also introduced in the application of PI graphitization to graphene. Finally, the prospect of PIs in the field of electronics is proposed in the review. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyimide Based Flexible and Bio-Inspired Sensors: From Fundamental to Application)

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24 pages, 9476 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress of Vertical Channel Thin Film Transistor Device

by Benxiao Sun, Huixue Huang, Pan Wen, Meng Xu, Cong Peng, Longlong Chen, Xifeng Li and Jianhua Zhang

Sensors 2023, 23(14), 6623; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23146623 - 23 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2909

Abstract

Thin film transistors (TFTs) as the core devices for displays, are widely used in various fields including ultra-high-resolution displays, flexible displays, wearable electronic skins and memory devices, especially in terms of sensors. TFTs have now started to move towards miniaturization. Similarly to MOSFETs problem, traditional planar structure TFTs have difficulty in reducing the channel’s length sub-1μm under the existing photolithography technology. Vertical channel thin film transistors (V-TFTs) are proposed. It is an effective solution to overcome the miniaturization limit of traditional planar TFTs. So, we summarize the different aspects of VTFTs. Firstly, this paper introduces the structure types, key parameters, and the impact of different preparation methods in devices of V-TFTs. Secondly, an overview of the research progress of V-TFTs’ active layer materials in recent years, the characteristics of V-TFTs and their application in examples has proved the enormous application potential of V-TFT in sensing. Finally, in addition to the advantages of V-TFTs, the current technical challenge and their potential solutions are put forward, and the future development trend of this new structure of V-TFTs is proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyimide Based Flexible and Bio-Inspired Sensors: From Fundamental to Application)

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