Method for manufacturing a flexible
strain sensor, comprising: Placing a flexible substrate on a movable stage in a working chamber, in which the movable stage, suitable for a desired movement according to a
control signal, and a
nozzle, suitable for spraying towards an upper surface of the movable stage, are installed, and with which a first
pressure control unit, suitable for controlling an
internal pressure of the working chamber, is combined; and preparing a printing material mixture, which comprises
metal nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a
powder form, which is to be introduced into a printing material tank, which is provided with an upper outlet that communicates with a
nozzle via a first communication line, and a lower inlet, with which a second
pressure control unit, suitable for controlling pressure, is combined. Control, by means of a
control unit, a movement of the movable stage by providing a predetermined
motion control signal to the movable stage in order to move the flexible substrate at a desired speed along a path which corresponds to a predetermined conductor pattern of a
strain sensor, Forming a relatively low-
pressure atmosphere within the working chamber by operating the first
pressure control unit and simultaneously a relatively high-
pressure atmosphere at a lower inlet of the pressure material tank by operating the second pressure
control unit, In parallel with controlling the movement of the movable stage, the printing material mixture is forcibly transmitted in an aerosolized state through the first communication line from the printing material tank to be sprayed through the
nozzle towards a surface of the flexible substrate by means of a compression wave, which is caused by a
pressure difference between the low-
pressure atmosphere and the high-pressure
atmosphere.
Direct printing of a predetermined conductor pattern of the
strain sensor onto the flexible substrate by a process in which the printing material mixture, which is extruded through the nozzle, collides with the surface of the flexible substrate to create cracks on the surface, and the CNTs penetrate into the cracks and are mechanically anchored to the flexible substrate, and then the following
metal nanoparticles and CNTs of the printing material mixture are deposited in a predetermined width and height on the surface of the flexible substrate. Connecting a first and a second lead wire, which extend electrically to protrude from the flexible substrate, to both ends of the predetermined conductor pattern of the strain sensor and Binding a flexible cover, which has the same size as the flexible substrate, to the surface of the flexible substrate on which the predetermined conductor pattern is printed, so that the predetermined conductor pattern is inserted between the flexible substrate and the flexible cover.