Effect of electrospun PVDF-fibers orientation for vibration sensing

Advanced Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems require the use of high performing, ultra-thin and light weight flexible sensing devices to reduce impact in a hosting material or structure. In this paper piezoelectric polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) electrospun fibers were investigated to realize advanced vibration sensors. The microscale structure of the fabricated sensors is of a porous nature and consists of an aggregation of microfibers that are either randomly distributed or oriented. Being piezoelectric these fibers are capable to detect mechanical stress or strain over time in terms of a voltage signal. To investigate the reliability of piezoelectric fibers as vibration sensors, tests of a dynamic nature were conducted. It is found that the developed sensors are capable to detect a cantilever vibration over time with great accuracy and that the microfibers orientation is an important factor to maximize the sensor performance.