G-Putty inks tailored for flexible strain sensors

News

Researchers in Ireland have developed a low-cost strain sensor made from a printable graphene nanocomposite that combines high sensitivity and flexibility without reducing performance. 

The team from Trinity College Dublin have created the next generation sensing technology using so-called G-Putty, an innovation from Trinity in which putty (polysilicone, found in children’s toy ‘silly putty’) is infused with graphene, making the material’s electrical resistance extremely sensitive to slight deformations.

Researchers add graphene to silly putty to create sensors and medical devices

The team's printed sensors are said to be 50 times more sensitive than the industry standard and outperform other comparable nano-enabled sensors in relation to their flexibility, making them suitable for wearable electronics and medical diagnostic devices.

Led by Professor Jonathan Coleman from Trinity's School of Physics, the team developed a method to formulate G-Putty based inks that can be printed as a thin-film onto elastic substrates, including plasters, and attached to skin.

By creating and testing inks of different viscosities the team found that they could tailor G-Putty inks according to printing technology and application. Their results are published in the journal Small.

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