LEAP Technology Has Developed A Kind of Sensor – Based on WACKER ELASTOSIL® Silicone Films
Smart Materials
Integrated sensors turn articles of clothing into truly high-tech garments that can monitor your breathing or map your movements on a computer screen. With support from WACKER, Danish start-up LEAP Technology has developed just this kind of sensor – based on ultrathin silicone films and conductive silicone elastomers.
The sports shirt hugs her torso like a second skin, registering the pilates student’s every movement without her noticing a thing. The highly accurate sensors constantly transmit data over a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone, whose software detects incorrect movements, protecting the athlete from muscle tears or inflammations – even when she is working out in her living room, where there is no instructor to monitor whether she is doing the exercises correctly.
Smart textiles – textiles with integrated sensors intended to make the clothing of the future more intelligent – are opening up new growth opportunities in the athletic apparel, consumer electronics, and medical technology industries. Market researchers at IDTechEx estimate that total global sales of wearable technologies – of which smart textiles account for an ever-increasing share – will reach approximately €12 billion this year and roughly €70 billion by 2025.
Benefits for Rehab Patients
There is virtually no limit to the potential applications of this technology. For gamers, sensors on the body can transmit movements onto a screen, allowing players to compete in a sword fight with a virtual opponent. Like yoga or pilates instructors, physical therapists can also use integrated sensors, in this case, to determine whether rehab patients are performing their therapy exercises exactly as prescribed.
“This kind of wearable technology offers a number of advantages, especially in rehabilitation or for long-term patients,” says Renate Glowacki, an applications chemist for silicone films at WACKER. “The materials work around the clock, imperceptibly monitoring processes like swelling or respiratory movement, and warning the wearer or the treating physician if the patient’s health is threatened.”
Electroactive elastomers made by LEAP Technology undergo a test: a power source is attached to the coated silicone film.
Highly sensitive mini sensors are at the heart of smart clothing. “Textiles are the interface between the individual and their environment,” explains Dr. Rahimullah Sarban, founder of LEAP Technology, a Danish company currently producing sensor components and parts for manufacturers of smart textiles and for other industries. “That makes integrating sensor elements into clothing pretty much the perfect way of detecting the wearer’s movements and bodily functions – his biomechanics.”
Production of electroactive elastomers: the silicone film is coated with a layer containing a silicone filled with carbon black so that it is conductive and functions as an electrode.
Sandwiched Between Electrodes
These kinds of elastic sensors are made possible through the use of innovative materials such as electroactive polymers (EAPs), which are based on silicone rubber films. ELASTOSIL Film is the brand name under which WACKER markets these ultrathin films, which are only 20 to 200 microns thick (the diameter of a human hair, by comparison, is roughly 70 microns). The film is sandwiched between two electrodes – electrodes that can be made of WACKER silicone elastomers filled with carbon black to make them electrically conductive. In other words, all three layers are made of elastic materials. “If you press these elements together like a sandwich or if you stretch the material lengthwise, that movement will produce a detectable change in capacitance. The basic sensor unit is nothing other than an elastic capacitor,” Glowacki points out. ®
Geared for Marketability
The actual technology has been in existence since the 1990s, and WACKER is among those companies that have been working with EAPs for some time. “But now the leap to industrial production is becoming a reality,” emphasizes Susanne Neueder, Global Marketing Manager for silicone films. That leap requires a market, and innovative start-ups like LEAP Technology.
When WACKER representatives met the LEAP Technology team at the 2014 EuroEAP Conference in Linköping, Sweden, the WACKER project managers were impressed by the determination of the Danish start-up to forge ahead with creating EAP components and manufacturing them on an industrial scale. “And thanks to WACKER, we now have a valuable partner on board – our areas of expertise complement each other perfectly,” says LEAP Technology founder Dr. Sarban. “ELASTOSIL Film is an outstanding material that is perfectly suited to our needs” – and one that can be used for manufacturing highly accurate sensors. “At the same time, WACKER silicone elastomers are immune to power surges and to electrical or physical shocks,” Sarban observes. ®
In building their components, lab experts at LEAP Technology use both silicone films and a further WACKER silicone rubber that has been modified for conductivity. LEAP team members then hook up the unit to electrical wiring and a textile mechanical attachment. “The last step is to embed this entire unit within another WACKER silicone to protect it from electrical interference and to obtain the desired surface,” Sarban explains. Before the components are sent on to customers, they are tested and calibrated at the Leap Technology laboratories.
On account of their excellent dielectric properties, ELASTOSIL® silicone films are LEAP Technology’s product of choice for its sensors.
Numerous Other Applications
In early 2014, electroactive polymers were added to what WACKER calls its New Solutions projects, a cross-divisional, interdisciplinary category that the Group has created for grouping together promising products and technologies. The team has grown steadily and Dr. Andreas Köllnberger received the 2015 Alexander Wacker Innovation Award for developing the film production process. “Smart textiles aren’t the only interesting application for EAPs,” Köllnberger emphasizes. “Intelligent sensors allow production employees to reliably operate industrial manufacturing processes based on human-machine communication. Electroactive polymers are also suitable for use as actuators in electronic, automotive and automation technologies, or as electricity generators – in other words, for anything relating to energy harvesting.”
The key to their material characteristics lies in the chemical properties of the silicones. “Proper crosslinking plays a special role,” Glowacki notes. The molecular structure is what allows individual polymer chains to move as well as they do, yielding films that are extremely extensible, but that can resume their original shape – without wearing out. “In order to produce ultrathin silicone films at the level of quality we need, WACKER has developed a complex process and applied to have it patented,” Glowacki explains. “Plus, producing these films has been an important way for us to reach out to manufacturers of EAP components.”
Source: IDTechEx Research, 2015
Sensor Design and Measurement Principle
In order to ensure that these precision silicone rubber films are pure and free of particle contamination, and that they can meet customers’ actuation and energy harvesting requirements, WACKER uses a continuous production process under cleanroom conditions. The process is already up and running in a small-scale plant, with full-scale production planned for the medium term. The first step involves applying the addition-curing silicone rubber compounds in a way that yields the desired ultrathin films at the highest possible level of purity. A major advantage here is that no solvents are required. The next step is to apply heat, which crosslinks the polymer chains and fixes the shape of the film. WACKER experts have also integrated a quality-control stage into the manufacturing process: “We take optical and ultrasound measurements to make sure that the layer thickness doesn’t vary by more than 5% across the entire surface,” Glowacki explains. ELASTOSIL Film is also available as a continuous roll, a format that rival production processes are unable to achieve. ®
A power source is attached to the conductively coated silicone film (1). If the film is deformed mechanically, the surface (2) changes or increases in size, resulting in altered capacitance. If the film relaxes again in that the pressure is relieved (3), the surface – and hence the capacitance – changes once more.
Maintenance-Free Components
Yet another advantage is that ELASTOSIL Film products have all of the essential properties that otherwise characterize silicones: heat resistance, low-temperature flexibility, excellent dielectric properties and outstanding resistance to a large number of physical and chemical forces. “Their outstanding elastic properties are part of the reason why silicone films don’t wear out – even after years of mechanical stress,” Glowacki adds. “And that makes EAP components maintenance free.” ®
LEAP Technology is still producing EAP components either by hand or using partially automated processes. “Processing these ultrathin, soft, highly flexible silicone films is a challenge for our machines, but we are making good progress toward fully automated component fabrication,” Sarban explains. “That’s the only way we can meet our goal of reliably producing thousands of units per month,” observes the LEAP director.
Examples of electroactive-polymer-based sensors manufactured by LEAP Technology.
This positions LEAP Technology in the gap that currently exists between the product manufacturers and companies like WACKER, who make the materials. “This is precisely where we need companies that offer EAP components,” says Marketing Manager Susanne Neueder. “Not only does this meet sensor users halfway – it also helps establish a supply chain.”
“Thanks to their outstanding elastic properties, silicone films don’t wear out – even after years of mechanical stress.”Renate Glowacki, Application Technology, WACKER SILICONES.
Inquiries on the Rise
The experts at LEAP Technology have already received some 120 requests for information from sources that include multinational corporations, small businesses, and universities. As Sarban notes, “Examples of our partners include Ohmatex, Electricfoxy, several other similar companies, and some Danish universities.”
Having a reliable supply chain for the materials and individual components is a focus of every customer meeting. “WACKER is an important partner – capable of producing large quantities of silicone films,” explains Sarban. This partnership generates trust, he added, ensuring reliability along the entire supply chain.
Collaboration between these companies has set the stage for a future in which high-tech fabrics hug our skin – and sharpen our awareness of our health.
Textile-based sensors convert mechanical energy into electricity, enabling them to capture body movements.
- |
- +1 赞 0
- 收藏
- 评论 0
本文由sr转载自WACKER Official Website，原文标题为:Smart Materials，本站所有转载文章系出于传递更多信息之目的，且明确注明来源，不希望被转载的媒体或个人可与我们联系，我们将立即进行删除处理。
相关推荐
一种电动汽车的绝配材料：有机硅弹性体，能承受高温及充电电流，持久而可靠地密封组件
电动汽车对高性能材料的需求不断增长，带动了汽车行业对有机硅弹性体的需求。有机硅弹性体作为出色的热导体，能够承受高温及充电电流，持久而可靠地密封组件。
应用方案 发布时间 : 2024-07-04
瓦克生物甲醇基有机硅密封胶赋能建筑绿色发展
作为欧洲市场有机硅密封胶主要的原材料和支装胶生产商之一，瓦克为满足市场和客户对无需石化原料生产的环保产品日益增长的需求，日前已在其欧洲市场推出基于生物甲醇的有机硅密封胶产品——ELASTOSIL®eco系列。
应用方案 发布时间 : 2024-05-31
瓦克医用ELASTOSIL®为肢体修复提供高标准的有机硅产品
医用ELASTOSIL®有机硅是您的理想选择，亦是守护健康的有力支持。我们的专家团队期待着随时为您提供服务，通过拓展医用ELASTOSIL® 的应用范围并发掘创新潜力以满足各种具体的需求，从而开发出个性化的产品解决方案，为提高人们的生活品质添砖加瓦。
应用方案 发布时间 : 2024-05-30
WACKER（瓦克）固体和液体硅橡胶产品选型指南
描述- 瓦克是一家全球运营的特种化学品公司，产品的技术含量高且发展成熟，被广泛应用于人类日常生活的各个领域，上至太阳能电池，下至瓷砖胶粘剂，一应俱全。瓦克为100 多个国家和地区供应3000多种产品。
型号- R 701/80,R PLUS 4370/50,ELASTOSIL® R PUS 4001/40,R PLUS 4001/90,LR 3023/60,R PLUS 4020/50,LR 3271/45,R PLUS 4305/70,LR 3071/30,LR 3070/60,R 780/80 OH,LR 3093/65,LR 5040/30,R PLUS 4020/60,R 701/70,R 861/60 S,R 402/75 S,R PLUS 4066/60,R PLUS 4370/40,R PLUS 4001/80,LR 3844/30,6700/60,ELASTOSIL® LR 6320 F,R 401/10 OH,LR 3005/70,R PLUS 4305/80,LR 3003/20 TR,R 401/55 S,ELASTOSIL® LR 3003/30,R 420/70 S,R 755/60 OH,LR 5040/20,LR 3071/40,R 401/70 S,ELASTOSIL® LR 6250 F,LR 3092/65,R PLUS 4020/70,R PLUS 4050/55 MH,R 701/60,R 861/70 S,R PLUS 4001/70,ELASTOSIL ® RD 6620 F,LR 3842/60,LR 3843/30,R 756/60 OH,LR 3005/60,R PLUS 4806/20,R PLUS 4305/90,R PLUS 4060/50,LR 3070/40,R 401/60 S,R 701/50,R 752/70 OH,LR 3065/30,LR 3016/65,R 700/80,R 401/60 KX S,R 760/70 MH,R 781/80,LR 3842/70,LR 3005/50,LR 3022/60,R PLUS 4001/60,LR 34004/50,R PLUS 4060/60,LR 3070/50,R 701/40,LR 3040/40,LR 3834/50 ULTRA,ELASTOSIL ® 47007,R PLUS 4305/30,LR 3025/40,LR 3074/60,ELASTOSIL ® E50 N,LR 5040/70,6610/60,6760/50,R 402/65 OH,ELASTOSIL ® RD 3151 F,R 401/20 OH,R 401/80 S,LR 3003/25,LR 3070/20,R 510/70 S,LR 3040/50,ELASTOSIL® LR 6360 F,R 401/30 S,R PLUS 4305/40,R PLUS 573/70,6610/50,R 752/50 OH,LR 5040/60,LR 3070/30,LR 3011/50 FR,ELASTOSIL® LR 6200 A/B,ELASTOSIL® LR 6260 A/B,R 510/60 S,LR 3844/40,LR 3040/60,6000/05,R 865/40 S,R PLUS 4846/30,6610/40,R 101/25 OH,R PLUS 4305/50,LR 3003/03,LR 3003/05,AUX 8251 RO,LR 3856/20,LR 5040/50,R PLUS 4070/60,WACKER ® FINISH CT 51 L,R 570/70 OH,LR 3844/50,R PLUS 573/50,6400/40,LR 3040/70,R PLUS 4020/40,R 756/70 OH,LR 5040/45,LR 3856/30,LR 5040/40,R PLUS 4070/30,LR 3066/70,6000/20,LR 3043/70,6400/50,R 401/30 OH,R PLUS 4000/40,ELASTOSIL ® RD 6600 F,LR 3003/60,LR 3004/30,R 750/50 0H,LR 3675/30,LR 3078/60,R 101/65 OH,6600/60,R PLUS 4361/60,R PLUS 4070/20,R 401/40 S,LR 3852/50,6000/10,R PLUS 4366/60,R PLUS 4350/55,R 512/70 OH,LR 3066/60,LR 3020/60,6400/60,LR 3003/50,R 865/50 S,R PLUS 4303/60,LR 3078/70,6600/50,ELASTOSIL® R 401/40,R 750/40 OH,LR 3851/50,6000/40,LR 3170/40,LR 3675/50,LR 3846/20,LR 3003/40,R PLUS 4303/70,LR 3078/40,LR 7601/60,R 420/40 S,6600/40,R 101/35 OH,LR 3040/30,LR 7601/50,6000/30,ELASTOSIL ® E91,LR 3066/80,LR 3846/30,R 770/75 OH,R 770/50 OH,LR 3003/30,LR 3078/50,R PLUS 4360/60,R PLUS 4303/80,R 570/60 OH,AUX 8250 RO,LR 3066/30,ELASTOSIL® LR 3003/20 TR,LR 3004/70,LR 3005/40,ELASTOSIL ® E43 N,ELASTOSIL ® E92 N,LR 3842/40,R PLUS 4001/50,6740/40,LR 3078/20,R 865/60 S,LR 3671/30,R 420/60 S,LR 3072/40,LR 7601/80,6000/60,R 756/40 OH,LR 3065/50,R 501/75 OH,6000/50,R 420/30 OH,LR 3003/10 TR,ELASTOSIL® LR 3001/55 FR A/B,LR 3043/40,LR 3003/90,LR 3842/50,R PLUS 4001/40,R PLUS 4000/70,LR 3004/60,LR 3001/55 FR,LR 3841/50,LR 3005/30,LR 3078/30,LR 3671/40,R 401/90 OH,LR 3094/60,ELASTOSIL® NT 76,LR 7601/70,ELASTOSIL® LR 6240 A/B,LR 3072/50,LR 3015/70,LR 3066/50,R 502/75 OH,LR 3003/80,R PLUS 4001/30,6700/50,LR 3043/50,LR 3004/50,R 416/70 MH,R PLUS 4000/60,LR 3003/85,LR 3671/50,R 570/50 OH,LR 3162,R PLUS 4061/60,LR 3071/50,R 756/50 OH,R 700/40,R 770/60 OH,R PLUS 4050/55,LR 3066/40,R PLUS 4001/20,LR 3043/60,R PLUS 4000/50,LR 3003/70,6700/40,LR 3004/40,R 865/70 S,R 101/45 OH,LR 3076/70,LR 3153,R 420/50 S,LR 3072/30,6000/70,LR 3071/60,R 490/55 OH,R 401/50 S,R PLUS 4305/60 S,LR 3015/50
瓦克ELASTOSIL® eco——具有可持续性的有机硅密封胶
瓦克研发和生产的有机硅密封胶既适用于DIY装修爱好所需，也适用于专业人士。ELASTOSIL® eco是我们为有机硅密封胶领域提供的可持续解决方案：用途广泛、高质、耐久、环保——四种不同特性，同一质量承诺。ELASTOSIL® eco产品100%用有机硅制成，并能够在不影响质量的前提下节约石化资源。
产品 发布时间 : 2024-09-16
WACKER Presents Silicone Resins SILRES® H60 A/B and SILRES® H62 C for the Impregnation of Electric Motors
At CWIEME, the international trade fair for coil winding, insulation and electrical manufacturing, WACKER is presenting silicone-based specialty resins for impregnating electric motors. Highlights at CWIEME also include the room-temperaturecuring silicone rubber ELASTOSIL® N 2076.
产品 发布时间 : 2024-05-29
瓦克ELASTOSIL® LR 3070/60 A/B双组分橡胶混合物，易于加工和着色，固化时间非常短
文章介绍了瓦克公司开发的ELASTOSIL® LR 3070/60 A/B双组分橡胶混合物，这种材料以其高透明度、易清洗、阻燃性和耐机械应力等特点，非常适合用于制作如苍蝇拍等日常用品。ELASTOSIL® LR 3070/60 A/B不仅无有害物质，还易于加工和着色，通过全自动注射成型工艺实现高效生产。
产品 发布时间 : 2024-09-15
ELASTOSIL® RT 7620 TC CN A/B Thermally Curing Silicone Rubber (RTV-2)
型号- ELASTOSIL® RT 7620 TC CN A/B
瓦克ELASTOSIL®液体硅橡胶，具有高透明度，低压缩形变率等优点，为产品提供高品质保障
在许多材料束手无策的应用领域，正越来越多地看到硅橡胶混合物一展身手。例如，采用ELASTOSIL® LR 3003/40 A/B制成的笔筒，不仅设计高雅，而且非常实用。这款膏状双组分橡胶混合物，非常适合用于生产高精密半透明有机硅弹性体部件。在液体硅橡胶的固化过程中，金属和有机硅弹性体之间会发生粘接。在高度自动化生产环境下精密加工，可以确保产品具有稳定如一的高品质。
产品 发布时间 : 2024-09-13
WACKER Presents Silicone-Based Solutions for Electromobility and Medical Applications
At Silicone Expo Europe, the WACKER Group is showcasing silicone-based product solutions for specific industrial sectors. The focus is on silicone gels for wound care, non-postcuring liquid silicone rubber for the food industry and medical technology, and self-adhesive liquid silicone rubber grades that adhere to polycarbonate and other high-performance plastics.
厂牌及品类 发布时间 : 2024-04-27
ELASTOSIL® P – SOFT SILICONE GELS: Perfect Solutions for External Mammary Prostheses INFO SHEET
型号- 7616–160,ELASTOSIL® P 7630,7630,2100,2122,ELASTOSIL®,ELASTOSIL® P 7619,2130,ELASTOSIL® P,ELASTOSIL® P 7616–160,P 7616–160,SILPURAN® 2130,2117,SILPURAN® 2100,2114,SILPURAN® 2122,SILPURAN® 2112,P 7619,2112,SILPURAN® 2114,SILPURAN® 2117,SILPURAN®,7619
电子商城
授权代理品牌：集成电路
授权代理品牌：分立元件
授权代理品牌：接插件及结构件
授权代理品牌：部件、组件及配件
授权代理品牌：电源及模块
授权代理品牌：电子材料
授权代理品牌：仪器仪表及测试配组件
授权代理品牌：电工工具及材料
授权代理品牌：机械电子元件
授权代理品牌：加工与定制
我要提问
登录 | 立即注册
提交评论