Performance evaluation of Ce3+ doped flexible PVDF fibers for efficient optical pressure sensors

Authors

Carlos Hernandez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Santosh K. Gupta, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Jose P. Zuniga, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Jorge Vidal, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Rene Galvan, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Misael E. Martinez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Hector Guzman, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Lilian N. Chavez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Yuanbing Mao, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Karen Lozano, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-15-2019

Abstract

Highlights

• Centrifugally spun cerium doped nonwoven fibrous mat are explored as a non-contact optical pressure sensor.

• The developed sensor depicted wide linear dynamic range and good pressure sensitivity.

• The sensor properties are based on the spectral shift, broadening and intensity enhancement.

• β-phase in doped fibers increases when compared to undoped PVDF.

• Cerium nitrate doped fiber exhibits a high-pressure sensitivity (dλ/dP ≈ 0.28 nm/GPa) with no luminescence quenching.

Abstract

This work proposes a highly novel centrifugally spun lanthanide doped nonwoven fibrous mat as a non-contact optical pressure sensor with a wide linear dynamic range and good pressure sensitivity. The sensor properties are based on the spectral shift, broadening and intensity enhancement of Ce3+ ion in Ce doped PVDF fiber upto significantly high pressure. Two different systems: Ce(NO3)3·6H2O and (NH4)4Ce(SO4)4·2H2O doped PVDF flexible fibers (CeN-PF and CeS-PF) were produced using the Forcespinning® technique. Both CeN-PF and CeS-PF fibers displayed violet-blue emission under UV irradiation due to a 5d-4f transition of Ce3+ ions. Our emission results show that both CeN-PF and CeS-PF spectral characteristics are influenced by high pressures, inducing significant spectral ref shift in 5d-4f. The pressure-induced monotonous changes in bandwidth and emission intensity enhancement along with red shift suggesting the potential application of these fibers for pressure sensing applications. The CeN-PF fiber exhibits a high-pressure sensitivity (dλ/dP ≈ 0.28 nm/GPa) under a comprehensive linear dynamic range (0–64 GPa) with no pressure-induced luminescence quenching. The changes in CeS-PF is less pronounced with a lower pressure sensitivity of 0.10 nm/GPa compared to CeN-PF due to large crystal field splitting energy of nitrate ion compared to sulphate ion. This work presents a highly efficient, cost effective, scalable lanthanide doped flexible fibrous based system with negligible high pressure quenching and a wider linear dynamic range for optical pressure sensing applications.

Comments

Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2019.111595

Recommended Citation

Hernandez, C., Santosh K. Gupta, Jose P. Zuniga, Jorge Vidal, Rene Galvan, Misael Martinez, Hector Guzman, Lilian Chavez, Yuanbing Mao, and Karen Lozano. "Performance evaluation of Ce3+ doped flexible PVDF fibers for efficient optical pressure sensors." Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 298 (2019): 111595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2019.111595

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Publication Title

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

DOI

10.1016/j.sna.2019.111595