Artificially innervated self-healing foams as synthetic piezo-impedance sensor skins

Hongchen Guo, Yu Jun Tan, Ge Chen, Zifeng Wang, Glenys Jocelin Susanto, Hian Hian See, Zijie Yang, Zi Wei Lim, Le Yang and Benjamin C. K. Tee ()
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Hongchen Guo: National University of Singapore
Yu Jun Tan: National University of Singapore
Ge Chen: National University of Singapore
Zifeng Wang: National University of Singapore
Glenys Jocelin Susanto: National University of Singapore
Hian Hian See: National University of Singapore
Zijie Yang: National University of Singapore
Zi Wei Lim: National University of Singapore
Le Yang: Agency for Science Technology and Research
Benjamin C. K. Tee: National University of Singapore

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Human skin is a self-healing mechanosensory system that detects various mechanical contact forces efficiently through three-dimensional innervations. Here, we propose a biomimetic artificially innervated foam by embedding three-dimensional electrodes within a new low-modulus self-healing foam material. The foam material is synthesized from a one-step self-foaming process. By tuning the concentration of conductive metal particles in the foam at near-percolation, we demonstrate that it can operate as a piezo-impedance sensor in both piezoresistive and piezocapacitive sensing modes without the need for an encapsulation layer. The sensor is sensitive to an object’s contact force directions as well as to human proximity. Moreover, the foam material self-heals autonomously with immediate function restoration despite mechanical damage. It further recovers from mechanical bifurcations with gentle heating (70 °C). We anticipate that this material will be useful as damage robust human-machine interfaces.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19531-0

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