Sensing and memorising liquids with polarity-interactive ferroelectric sound

Abstract

The direct sensing and storing of the information of liquids with different polarities are of significant interest, in particular, through means related to human senses for emerging biomedical applications. Here, we present an interactive platform capable of sensing and storing the information of liquids. Our platform utilises sound arising from liquid-interactive ferroelectric actuation, which is dependent upon the polarity of the liquid. Liquid-interactive sound is developed when a liquid is placed on a ferroelectric polymer layer across two in-plane electrodes under an alternating current field. As the sound is correlated with non-volatile remnant polarisation of the ferroelectric layer, the information is stored and retrieved after the liquid is removed, resulting in a sensing memory of the liquid. Our pad-type allows for identifying the position of a liquid. Flexible tube-type devices offer a route for in situ analysis of flowing liquids including a human serum liquid in terms of sound.