Chitosan-based film composites as tunable strain sensors

Chitosan-based film composites as tunable strain sensors Full article

Journal

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical
ISSN: 1873-3069

Output data

Year: 2025, Volume: 388, Article number : 116502, Pages count : DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2025.116502

Tags

Chitosan; Few-layered graphene; Composite; Strain gauge; Pluronic; Polyvinylpyrrolidone; Morphology; Variable-range hopping

Authors

Kuznetsov V.A. ^1,2 , Gapich D.I. ¹ , Larichkin A.Yu. ³ , Buinov A.S. ⁴ , Kumarbaev R.S. ¹ , Fedorov A.A. ^1,2 , Pobelenskaya D.V. ^1,2 , Makotchenko V.G. ¹ , Byalik A.D. ² , Kholkhoev B.Ch. ⁴ , Burdukovskii V.F. ⁴

Affiliations

1	Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3, Acad. Lavrentiev Ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
2	Novosibirsk State Technical University, 20, K. Marks Ave., Novosibirsk 630073, Russia
3	Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 15, Acad. Lavrentiev Ave., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
4	Baikal Institute of Nature Management, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 6, Sakhyanovoy str., Ulan-Ude 670047, Russia

Polymer composite strain gauges represent a significant area of interest due to the potential for high mechanical strain measurements. Their physical-mechanical properties and usability render them indispensable in wearable and biocompatible flexible electronics. Herein, we present the experimental findings regarding the composites based on chitosan matrix with few-layered graphene (FLG), which is uniformly distributed in the matrix through the use of amphiphilic stabilizers Pluronic F108 and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The variation of the stabilizers and FLG content enables the modification of composite morphology and subsequent alteration of piezoresistive effect. The resistivity of the composites ranges from 1.6 up to 130 000 Ohm·cm, corresponding to a change in the strain gauge factor from 1.3 to 5.7. To elucidate the morphology and physical nature of the piezoresistive effect, the mechanisms of electrical conductivity were analyzed from room temperature down to cryogenic ones. At sufficiently high FLG content, FLG nanoparticles are observed to be in contact with each other in the current pathways; in the composites with lower FLG content, there are polymer gaps between the FLG particles. At low temperatures, the electrical conduction mechanism is variable-range hopping, which is caused by the defectiveness and small dimensions of the FLG particles. The composites have been demonstrated to exhibit functionality at a strain value of up to 40 %, with a Young’s modulus of 270 MPa and a tensile strength of 68 MPa. Coupled with their biocompatibility, the composites are a promising candidate for biomechanics applications.

Kuznetsov V.A. , Gapich D.I. , Larichkin A.Y. , Buinov A.S. , Kumarbaev R.S. , Fedorov A.A. , Pobelenskaya D.V. , Makotchenko V.G. , Byalik A.D. , Kholkhoev B.C. , Burdukovskii V.F.
Chitosan-based film composites as tunable strain sensors
Sensors and Actuators A: Physical. 2025. Т.388. 116502 . DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2025.116502 WOS Scopus OpenAlex

Submitted:	Dec 10, 2024
Accepted:	Mar 21, 2025
Published print:	Mar 26, 2025
Published online:	Mar 24, 2026

≡ Web of science:	WOS:001457539100001
≡ Scopus:	2-s2.0-105000643698
≡ OpenAlex:	W4408849775