Printed sensors will monitor car tire health in real time

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Scientists have invented a cheap-to-print sensor that monitors car tires in real time and alerts the driver when the tires become thin and need to be replaced. The device will improve the safety of the car while improving vehicle performance and reducing fuel consumption.

Researchers at Duke University in the United States have used metal carbon nanotubes to build this new type of sensor – a tiny cylinder with a carbon atom diameter of only one billionth of a meter, which tracks millimeter-scale tread depth changes with 99% accuracy. .

Franklin, an associate professor at Duke University, points out that in today's automotive sensors and inspection technology, almost no data is collected from the only part of the vehicle that really touches the road. This technique relies on the mechanics of the interaction of the electric field with the metal conductor. The core of the sensor is to apply a voltage to the other electrode by placing two small, very close conductive electrodes, creating an electric field between the electrodes.

Depending on the width of the product, the grid is connected to a number of sensors to cover the tires to detect uneven tires, wear and other information. Although the sensors can be made from a variety of materials and methods, researchers hope to explore the size and structure of the sensors to the substrate and ink. Different variables of the material to optimize performance.

Finally, it was found that the best results were obtained by printing a metal carbon nanotube electrode on a flexible polyimide film. In addition to providing the best results, metal carbon nanotubes are durable and resistant to the harsh environment of tires.

These sensors can be printed on most objects with aerosol jets, even inside the tire. Although it is currently uncertain that direct printing is the best manufacturing method, regardless of which method is ultimately used, Franklin says that once they are mass-produced, the cost of the sensor will be much lower than every penny.

Duke University also wants to explore print sensors for other automotive applications, such as labels that maintain the thickness of the brake pads or the air pressure inside the tires.