Changchun Zeng

The present invention is a novel technology capable of continuously manufacturing on a large scale of superstructure based on a broad range of nanoparticles. The technology has the potential to be a cost-effefctive way to manufacture nanomaterials based macroscopic parts and components, whose properties approach to those of the individual nanoparticles.

Advantages:

• Uses supercritical water as a moderate oxidizer to remove the catalyst and purify the carbon nanotubes. This approach is superior compared to other technology forits efficiency of catalyst removal and low impact to the CNT structure and properties.
• This process can be scaled-up to a continuous process to manufacture these assemblies in industrial scale.

Flexible, stretchable, highly sensitive and low-cost pressure sensors are key elements in advancing wearable or implantable measuring devices.

The present invention provides a flexible piezoresistive sensor that exhibits improved piezoresistive sensitivity over other conventional flexible sensors currently available. The sensor is based on 3D porous auxetic materials and conductive materials coating layers. The sensing mechanism is the piezoresistivity of the conductive coating. The auxetic materials provide the overall sensing environment, and the unique auxetic properties enable high sensor sensitivity and larger sensing range.

Advantages:

• The auxetic structure improves sensor performance compared to regular substrate.
• The unique auxetic properties, such as synclastic curvature, enable the fabrication of large area sensors of complicated contours and ensure accurate detection of signals.

Applications:

• Wearable sensors
• Sports protection equipment
• Medical devices
• Underwater ultrasonic transducer

At FSU, we have developed a breakthrough process for scalable and low-cost functionalization of carbon nanotubes with tailored functionality. A provisional patent application was filed in October 2017. This technology enables the preparation of highly concentrated CNT ink for 3-D printing and printed electronics and sensors. As an example, while typical CNT ink has a CNT content < 0.5 wt%, our ink concentration can be tuned at will and can reach as high as 10 wt%. Such flexibility allows for our high quality printing process and superior device performance. This superior performance is characterized by a gauge factor (GR) that can reach ~3000; one to two orders of magnitude higher than any printed strain sensor from any other inks in the world. We have further demonstrated that our devices can be used as sensors to detect human motion. We strongly believe this technology will revolutionize printed electronics and sensors.