Mechanically Stable Kirigami Deformable Resonant Circuits for Wireless Vibration and Pressure Sensor Applications

Abstract

Deformable 3D structures have emerged to revolutionize next-generation flexible electronics. In this study, a large out-of-plane deformable kirigami-based structure integrated with traditional functional materials has been successfully applied to wirelessly sense mechanical vibration and pressure. Unlike spiral inductor coils that lack mechanical stability, the inductor coils supported with polymer kirigami designs, comprising concentric circles with alternately connected hinges among the consecutive layers, offer exceptional mechanical stability. The wireless sensor shows a good linear response (Adj. R2 = 0.99) between the shift in resonant frequency as a function of extension. Moreover, the sensor device exhibits excellent cycling mechanical stability and minimal hysteresis, as confirmed by the experiments performed for over 5 d. An acceleration sensor (0-20 ms-2) with high linearity (Adj. R2 = 0.99) is introduced. Furthermore, a highly sensitive low-pressure sensor is demonstrated wirelessly in real time. Thus, the sensor can wirelessly monitor mechanical vibration and pressure. It can be applied for motion tracking, health monitoring, soft robotics, and deformation detection in battery-free deformable electronic devices. © 2021 American Chemical Society.