We are living in testing times. With the increase in pollution and the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, it has become more important than ever before to continually monitor bodily changes. And temperature, being on these important measures, must be accurately measured at the right time. Existing methods often aren’t instant and may also not be accurate. For this reason, researchers from the Pohang University of Science and Technology, and Nanyang University a device that could measure body temperatures just based on simple contacts such wearing clothes or shaking hands.
The team basically developed a stretchable, crumpling polymer ionic conductor by using a water solvent to realize a thermal sensor for temperature detection. They conducted this research with help from individuals from Nanyang University.
The ionic conductors that have been developed so fat have all had certain limitations to them. In general, the application of mechanical force on such semiconductors affects its performance. And the rubber nano silver particles used in regular thermometers would involve more difficulty in detection as it is not as transparent. Even the third most common method that involves hydrogel ions get easily dried out and lose their flexibility.
The researchers’ solution to this was a customised P polymer creation with different ratios of ionic side chains and chemically linked ionic materials with polymer chains. And since this process requires an environment maintained at room temperature, it was processed with a water solvent and covered with a thin film.
This process was not only simpler than conventional processes but also produced a thermally stable conductor that was stretchable. Moreover, the conductor was also capable of self healing and managed to repair itself when subjected to damages.
This first of its kind device has already been tested to be stable upto 100 degree celsius and has been cleared for regular usage. It can easily be worn or stuck onto any part of the body, making it a whole lot more convenient than conventional devices. On top of this, researchers are still working on ways to make this device even more efficient. So, there is no doubt that in the near future, this device would become more mainstream than the devices of today.