Surface textures for stretchable capacitive strain sensors

Advances in smart materials and electronics have enabled compliant sensing systemsmimicking nature. In structural health monitoring (SHM) applications, the technology stilllacks accuracy in tracking measurements over large geometries. Herein we report a facilefabrication for a compliant sensor based on an elastomeric capacitive sensor technology, augmentedwith a scalable surface texture inspired by various grid geometries. Texture designsare selected to direct, and therefore improve, the strain sensing capabilities and thus thesensor\u27s gauge factor. We showcase selected designs based on an a detailed engineering analysis.The selected surface patterns are investigated under increasing strain targets and strainfrequency sweeps. Results conrm that a stretchable thermoplastic composite sensor with atextured pattern embossed into the hyper-elastic matrix yields approximately 30% increasein the gauge factor and 35% in signal accuracy, great linearity up to 30% strain, and overallsignal stability to empower SHM applications