The global issue of prolonged desk work, which leads to poor posture, has prompted a growing need for effective solutions. This study explores a transformative approach developing and creating a flexible Barium titanate–poly(dimethylsiloxane) (BaTiO₃–PDMS) piezoelectric biosensor tailored to addressing posture challenges¹. Harnessing the distinctive properties of BaTiO₃, this innovative biosensor has the potential to revolutionize posture correction strategies. First, piezoelectric BaTiO₃ nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a sol-gel method, utilizing barium acetate and titanium tetrabutanolate as precursors. The characterization of these NPs was conducted using XRD and TEM. A BaTiO₃–PDMS composite was then formed by combining PDMS polymer and its cross-linking agent in a 10:1 weight ratio, with the addition of 40 grams of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles.

The NPs were manually dispersed in the polymer mixture for 5 minutes. The mixture was cured at 100°C for 1 hour. Evaporation was carried out to achieve a thickness of 2.572 kÅ on both surfaces. Copper was evaporated in order to obtain a conductive material on the surface of the BaTiO₃–PDMS. The outcome was a 0.7 mm wide BaTiO₃–PDMS biosensor, as measured with a digital multimeter. In testing, the BaTiO₃–PDMS sensor generated a 400 mV signal on the oscilloscope, indicating its potential effectiveness for posture correction applications (Fig.1). In conclusion, our exploration of the BaTiO₃–PDMS flexible piezoelectric biosensor for posture correction unveils promising initial results. This research is a vital step toward attaining a thorough grasp of this biosensor's capabilities. Future research and optimization are necessity to unlock the optimum amount of BaTiO₃–PDMS to use in addressing the ongoing challenge of slumped posture.

Reference:

[1] Jeronimo K, Koutsos V, Cheung R, Mastropaolo E. PDMS-ZnO Piezoelectric Nanocomposites for Pressure Sensors. Sensors. 2021; 21, 5873.