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Hydrodynamic pressure sensors with tunable sensitivity based on thermoresponsive hydrogels
Author(s) -
Jiang Yonggang,
Wang Ningkang,
Zhuo Shuyun,
He Qipei,
Ma Zhiqiang,
Liu Mingjie,
Zhang Deyuan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.50023
Subject(s) - sensitivity (control systems) , self healing hydrogels , materials science , microfluidics , pressure sensor , drag , lateral line , acoustics , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , chemistry , electronic engineering , mechanics , polymer chemistry , gene , engineering , thermodynamics , biochemistry , physics , zebrafish
Lateral line system of fish performs hydrodynamic flow‐field perception with ultrasensitivity via mechanosensory neuromasts, which vary in geometrical dimension and sensitivity for a wide detection range. To achieve tunable sensitivity and wide detection range in engineered sensors, here we present a hydrodynamic pressure sensor inspired by the canal lateral line system of fish, which comprises of a microfluidic canal, and piezoelectric microcantilevers integrated with thermoresponsive hydrogel cupulae and microheaters. The poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide)‐based hydrogel cupula can not only increase the sensitivity by a hydrogel‐based drag enhancement mechanism, but also regulate the sensitivity by changing the cupula volume via localized heating. We characterized the pressure sensitivity and frequency response of the sensor, and the results demonstrated that the sensor possessed a wide detection range but a lower sensitivity during heater‐on, while it performed higher sensitivity with narrow detection range during heater‐off. The tunable hydrodynamic pressure sensors show many potential applications in flow analysis and hydrodynamic imaging.