Piezoelectric Force Response of Novel 2D Textile Based PVDF Sensors

This paper describes the development of 2D flexible sensors designed by integration of conductive fibrous electrodes and piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers into a conventional plain woven polyester fabric. The piezoelectric properties and electrical response to the mechanical deformation of the sensors were tested using an electromechanical device built in-house. Both the amplitude of movement and the frequency of the sensors were controlled using this device and the signal efficiency of these sensors was tested for maximum signal response to the sine frequencies between 80 and 1000 Hz. The electrical signal generated by the sensors was correlated to the fineness of the PVDF fibers used, the distance between the electrodes and the nature of the electrodes. Relationships between sensor output signal under load and the type of structure were thus established.