PDMS/MWCNT-based tactile sensor array with coplanar electrodes for crosstalk suppression

Abstract

The severe crosstalk effect is widely present in tactile sensor arrays with a sandwich structure. Here we present a novel design for a resistive tactile sensor array with a coplanar electrode layer and isolated sensing elements, which were made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) doped with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for crosstalk suppression. To optimize its properties, both mechanical and electrical properties of PDMS/MWCNT-sensing materials with different PDMS/MWCNT ratios were investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that a 4 wt% of MWCNTs to PDMS is optimal for the sensing materials. In addition, the pressure-sensitive layer consists of three microstructured layers (two aspectant PDMS/MWCNT-based films and one top PDMS-based film) that are bonded together. Because of this three-layer microstructure design, our proposed tactile sensor array shows sensitivity up to − 1.10 kPa− 1, a response time of 29 ms and reliability in detecting tiny pressures.