Reusable polymer optics fiber strain sensor with memory capability based on ABS crazing

Author(s)

Cabral, Thiago D. ^{[1, 2]} ; da Silva, Luiz E. ^[2] ; Fujiwara, Eric ^[1] ; Ng, Alson K. L. ^[3] ; Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Heike ^{[3, 4]} ; Cordeiro, Cristiano M. B. ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Mech Engn, BR-13083860 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Gleb Wataghin Inst Phys, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Adelaide, Inst Photon & Adv Sensing, Adelaide, SA 5005 - Australia

^[4] ARC Ctr Excellence Nanoscale BioPhoton, Adelaide, SA 5005 - Australia

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: APPLIED OPTICS; v. 58, n. 36, p. 9870-9875, DEC 20 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

A reusable memory capable polymer optical fiber (POF) strain sensor is reported. The fiber consists of an acrylonitrite butadiene styrene (ABS) core and polymethylmethacrylate cladding. The memory capability is derived from stress whitening due to crazing of the ABS core, which can be reversed by heating the fiber close to the ABS glass transition temperature. The probe was characterized under transverse compressive load, macrobending, and tensile loading. Testing shows that the optical properties of the fiber can be reversed to near pristine ABS conditions after thermal recovery and that the POF can be used on the accurate assessment of indentation, flexural and tensile loading, static or cyclical, even after removal of the load. The reusability of the proposed sensor combined with a deeper understanding of the memory mechanisms in POFs are of great interest for the development of new large-strain sensors for modern applications. (C) 2019 Optical Society of America (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/10409-7 - Advanced Optical Fibre Sensors
• Grantee: Cristiano Monteiro de Barros Cordeiro
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research
• FAPESP's process: 17/25666-2 - Development of an optical fiber force myography sensor for applications in human-robot interfaces
• Grantee: Eric Fujiwara
• Support type: Regular Research Grants