This paper extensively explores and analyzes the latest research trends in Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites (IPMC) sensors. IPMC sensors are known for their flexibility, lightness, and high responsiveness. They show great promise across different fields. They can respond sensitively to various stimuli such as mechanical deformation, humidity, and pressure, making them ideal for bio-responsive detection, health monitoring, and energy harvesting. This paper introduces actuation and sensing mechanisms of IPMCs, discusses their manufacturing processes, and explores how these processes can influence the responsiveness and stability of sensors. Moreover, through case studies of IPMC-based research that can perform self-sensing functions, it presents possibilities brought by the integration of sensors and actuators. This paper emphasizes the potential for research and development of IPMC sensors to expand into various industrial fields and explores ways to continuously improve the accuracy and reliability of sensors. IPMC-based sensors are expected to play a significant role in advancing medical devices and wearable technologies, thereby facilitating innovation in the field.

Advances in cell culture technology have improved the understanding of the physiological principles of cells. Recently, the development of microfluidic chips has made it possible to observe single cells in a massively parallelized and accurate manner. However, in order to maximize the availability of the microfluidic cell chip, it is essential to use an incubator that can isolate the cell culture chip from the outside while minimizing contamination and maintaining the temperature and humidity required for cell culture for a long time period. Here, we developed a thermo-hygrostat incubator consisting of an Arduino-based feedback control module for controlling a temperature and humidity complex sensor, a humidifier, and a heater. The temperature and humidity of the incubator could be actively changed according to the needs and application by simple editing control variables of Arduino coding. To demonstrate the efficiency of the device, we conducted an experiment comparing the growth of bacterial cells and obtained optimal conditions necessary for culture. In conclusion, it is expected that the newly developed thermo-hygrostat incubator can be used for a variety of purposes that require active control of temperature and humidity, as well as for long-term cultivation of bacterial cells inside a microfluidic chip.

Silicon nitride/cobalt tungsten boride (SiN/CoWB) passivation layer improves mass transport rate at copper thin film layers of semiconductor wafers after chemical mechanical polishing process. This study evaluates mass transport at the interface between copper and passivation layers by stress relaxation method, followed by deduction of interface diffusivity via a kinetic model. For comparison, SiN/CoWB, SiN, silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) and silicon carbide (SiC) passivation layers are introduced. A thin layer of SiN/CoWB demonstrates an outstanding performance as diffusion retarding material, especially at high temperature. The order of stress relaxation in terms of passivation layers is SiN/CoWB < SiN < SiCN < SiC, implying the order of mass transport at the interface. Using the kinetic model, the diffusivities and activation energies regarding passivation layers are calculated and reveal a good agreement with experimental results.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) was used for matrix material to fabricate composite hydrogels reinforced with natural cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). Invoking in situ free-radical polymerization with different concentration of cellulose nanocrystal, polyacrylamide hydrogels were fabricated. The chemical structure, compression strength, morphology and dielectric properties of the composite hydrogels were investigated. The CNC played a role as a reinforcing filler and a multifunctional cross-linker in the hydrogel. The elastic modulus and dielectric property of the composite hydrogels increased as increasing the CNC concentration. The electrical actuation test of the PAM/CNC hydrogel shows its possibility for soft electro-active materials for active lens.

This paper reports the enhanced fabrication and characterization of a 3 × 3 array tactile actuator composed of cellulose acetate. The array tactile actuator, with dimensions of 15 × 15 × 1 ㎣, consists of 9 pillar-supported cells made from a cellulose-acetate molding. The fabrication process and performance test along with the results for the suggested actuator are explained. To improve the cell-array fabrication, a laser cut was adopted after the molding process. The displacement of the unit cell increased the input voltage and frequency. Various top masses are added onto the actuator to mimic the touch force, and the acceleration of the actuator is measured under actuation. When 2 kV is applied to the actuator, the maximum acceleration is 0.64 g, which is above the vibrotactile threshold. The actuation mechanism is associated with the electrostatic force between the top and bottom electrodes.

This paper reports a customized silver ink and its inkjet printing process on a cellulose electroactive paper (EAPap). To synthesize a silver ink, silver nanoparticle is synthesized from silver nitrate, polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethylene glycol, followed by adding a viscosifier, hydroxyethylcellulose solution, and a surfactant, diethylene glycol. The silver ink is used in an inkjet printer (Fujifilm Dimatix DMP-2800 series) to print silver electrodes on cellulose EAPap. After printing, the electrodes are heat treated at 200℃. The sintered electrodes show that the thickness of the electrodes linearly increases as the number of printing layers increases. The electrical resistivity of the printed electrodes is 23.5 μΩ-cm. This customized ink can be used in inkjet printer to print complex electrode patterns on cellulose EAPap to fabricate flexible smart actuators, flexible electronics and sensors.

Bending actuators composed of cellulose with an electrically conducting polymer (CP) are fabricated and their performance is characterized in the air. Two different counter ions, perchlorate and tetrafluoroborate are used as dopant ions in the polyaniline CP processing. CPcellulose- CP trilayer and CP-cellulose bilayer samples are fabricated with different dopant ions, and their actuation performance is evaluated in terms of tip displacement, blocked force and electrical power consumption along with the humidity level and actuation frequency. The trilayer samples substantially enhanced the tip displacement compared to the bilayer ones. The actuation performance of the trilayer actuator is three times better than that of original cellulose electroactive paper (EAPap) actuator. The displacement and blocked force of CP-EAPap actuators are dependent on the humidity and frequency.

This paper reports fabrication and characterization of cellulose Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) with increased thickness. Usual thickness of cellulose EAPap was 15 μm. This thickness needs to be increased to enhance the mechanical force output of EAPap. To fabricate thick cellulose EAPap, the fabrication process parameters including casting and drying processes should be investigated. In this paper, the casting thickness is increased from 800 μm to 1500 μm, and heating times on a hot plate before and after curing process are introduced at 40 and 60℃ for 30 and 60 minutes, respectively. Thickness measurement, Thermal Gravitational Analysis (TGA), UV-transmittance, Young’s modulus, and piezoelectric charge constant are measured. Heated EAPaps with increased thickness have similar TGA result, higher transmittance, higher Young’s modulus and lower piezoelectric charge constant.

Cellulose Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) has been known as a new smart material that is attractive for a bio-mimetic actuator due to its merits in terms of lightweight, dry condition, large displacement output, low actuation voltage and low power consumption. Cellulose EAPap is made by regenerating cellulose and aligning its micro-fibrils. This paper introduces several EAPap materials, which are based on natural cellulose and its hybrid nanocomposites mixed/blended with inorganic functional materials. By chemically bonding and mixing with carbon nanotubes and inorganic nanoparticles, the cellulose EAPap can be a hybrid nanocomposite that has versatile properties and can meet material requirements for many applications. Recent research trend of the cellulose EAPap is introduced in terms of material preparations as well as application devices including actuators, temperature and humidity sensors, biosensors, chemical sensors, and so on. This paper also explains wirelessly driving technology for the cellulose EAPap, which is attractive for bio-mimetic robotics, surveillance and micro-aerial vehicles.

This paper suggests a new film-type haptic actuator based on cellulose acetate electro-active paper. Conventional tiny haptic actuators in mobile devices can create vibrotactile sensation at only near resonant frequency. The strategy of operating near the resonant frequency, however, brought a new issue for creating vibrotactile sensation which can be strong enough to feel in arbitrary frequency. Another problem is that the size of the conventional actuator is not small enough to be embedded into slim mobile devices. In order to achieve these issues, we propose a thin and tiny actuator based on a cellulose acetate material charged with an electric potential. The
motion of the actuator can be a concave or a convex by controlling a polarity of both charged membranes and the actuator performance can be modulated by increasing level of biased electric potential.