Date of Award
8-2018
Degree Name
Master of Science in Engineering
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Massood Z. Atashbar
Second Advisor
Dr. Bradley J. Bazuin
Third Advisor
Dr. Paul D. Fleming
Keywords
Flexible sensors, gravure printing, screen printing, temperature sensors, carbon nanotubes
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
This work focuses on the design, fabrication and characterization of novel flexible thermal sensors using additive print manufacturing processes. Initially, a carbon nanotube (CNT) based negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor was fabricated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using screen and gravure printing processes. The thermistor consists of two silver (Ag) electrodes deposited using screen printing process. A CNT based sensing layer was deposited using gravure printing process on the Ag electrodes. Finally, a primary polymer and a secondary Ag encapsulation layer were deposited using screen printing process. The capability of the fabricated thermistor was investigated by measuring its response towards temperatures varying from -40 °C to 100 °C, in steps of 10 °C. In addition, its stability towards relative humidity (RH) varying from 20% RH to 70% RH, in steps of 10% RH at two constant temperatures of 30 °C and 50 °C, was also studied.
Then, a fully printed nickel (Ni) based resistance temperature detector (RTD) was fabricated on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate using screen printing process. The capability of the printed RTD was demonstrated by measuring its resistive response for temperatures varying from -60 °C to 180 °C, in steps of 20 °C and its sensing characteristics such as linearity, sensitivity and repeatability were analyzed. From the results obtained, it is evident that the fabricated thermal sensors using additive print manufacturing processes have the capability to be employed for temperature sensing applications in biomedical, automotive, robotics, and food industries.
Recommended Citation
Turkani, Vikram Shreeshail, "Implemenatation of Additive Print Manufacturing Processes for the Development of Flexible Thermal Sensors" (2018). Masters Theses. 3707.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3707