Novel pressure sensors based on polymer film with surface microstructures

This paper proposed a novel pressure sensors based on polymer film with surface microstructures. Polymer film with surface microstructures have displayed unique optoelectronic and electrical properties due to the triboelectric effect. The micro-deformation and moving of polymer microstructures can product electrostatic charge. The pressure sensors can convert external pressure or mechanical deformation into electrical signal. The pressure sensor consists of one polymer film with surface microstructures and one conductive electrode layer. The regular microstructures increase the film roughness and contact triboelectric area to enhance the electrostatic effect. To enhance the performance of the pressure sensor, high-precision microstructures on soft polymer sensitive layers are fabricated using UV nanoimprint lithography to generate more triboelectric charges. The pressure sensor is prepared, which consists of grating with 3 μm- period on the surface of the elastic layer and an indium tin oxide electrode thin film. By converting the friction mechanical energy into electrical power, a maximum power of 423.8 mW/m2 and the sensitivity of 0.7 V/kPa at a frequency of 5 Hz are obtained, which proves the excellent sensing performance of the sensor.