Research

Material Sciences

Title :

Development of Flexible, Light Weight, Eco Friendly and Wearable Conductive Polymer Foams for the Bio Sensing Applications

Area of research :

Material Sciences

Focus area :

Healthcare Monitoring

Principal Investigator :

Dr. S Jeyanthi, Vellore Institute Of Technology (VIT) Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Timeline Start Year :

2022

Timeline End Year :

2025

Contact info :

Equipments :

Details

Executive Summary :

Healthcare monitoring systems are undergoing a new generation of devices that combine telecommunication, microelectronics, and material science to ensure remote monitoring of multiple physiological functions, comfort, and wearability. The focus is shifting from external environment control to human-oriented systems, where the subject-actor is virtually linked and interactive. Wearable sensing devices should be conducting materials to avoid electrostatic charge accumulation, which can cause problems like shock, fire, and dust accumulation. Conductive polyurethane (PU) foams are expected to be promising due to their electronic conductivity and mechanical flexibility. This work proposes a facile method for fabricating high-performance, stretchable sensors using conductive pu foams doped in nano particles. The need for eco-friendliness, low cost, good mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, piezo resistivity, anti-bacterial, electromagnetic interference shielding, flame retardant, and more accurate measurements has driven the development of multi-functional foam sensors. The material design, fabrication, and characteristics of multi-functional (MF) sensors based on a single sensing material of polyurethane foam reinforced with Activated carbon/PANI nanocomposite enable simultaneous detection of body temperature, wrist pulse, and ammonia gas for medical sensor applications. The industry is now focusing on producing eco-friendly materials for various applications, particularly in automobile and aerospace. However, there is still a gap in sustainable conductive foam preperation and testing in India.

Co-PI:

Dr. Lenin Babu, Vellore Institute Of Technology (VIT) Chennai, Tamil Nadu-600127, Dr. Suchetha Manikandan, Vellore Institute Of Technology (VIT) Chennai, Tamil Nadu-600127

Total Budget (INR):

23,18,204

Patents :

1

Organizations involved