Battery-free RFID-enabled wireless sensors

This paper introduces the realization of batter-free RFID-enable wireless sensors by integrating conformal RFID antennas with inkjet-printed carbon nanotubes (CNT) composites in a chipless RFID fashion for gas detection. The whole module is realized by inkjet printing on a low-cost paper-based substrate and the RFID tag is designed for the European UHF RFID band. The electrical conductivity of the CNT film changes in the presence of very small quantities of gases like ammonia, methanol, ethanol, acetone and nitrogen oxide (NOx), resulting in the variation of the backscattered power level which can be easily detected by the RFID reader to realize reliable wireless toxic gas sensing. The electrical performance characterization of the inkjet-printed CNT film is also reported in the UHF band.