Executive Summary : | The main purpose of the project is to fabricate high performance flexible carbon nanotube-based strain sensors for medical application by using screen printing method. Special inks based on Carbon nanotubes and copper nanoparticles will be prepared and will be used in printing process. The proposed strain gauge sensors have unique advantages i.e., excellent mechanical properties, high electrical conductivity and thermal stability. Nano-composites as piezoresistive films provide an interesting approach for realization of large area strain sensors with high sensitivity and low manufacturing costs. A polymer-based nano-composite with carbon nano-materials as conductive filler can be deposited on the flexible substrate of choice and this leads to mechanically flexible layers. Strain sensors based on carbon nano-structures can overcome several limitations of conventional strain sensors eg. Sensitivity, adjustable measurement range and integral measurement on big surfaces. A strain gauge sensor could be used in prosthetic implants that enables surgeons to intervene preemptively before failure actually occurs. Also, CNT-based strain sensors have better bio-compatibility when compared to the metallic gauges. |