A flexible multicolor biaxial sensor for strain direction identification based on sandwich-structured mechanoluminescent materials

Strain sensors capable of recognizing the direction of strain are crucial in applications such as robot attitude adjustment and detection of strain states in complex structures. In this study, a sandwich-structured flexible biaxial strain sensor was developed using polydimethylsiloxane as the substrate, mechanoluminescent materials as the luminescent elements, and rubber-ink as the light-blocking layer. By correlating the emitted light color with the stretching state, precise identification of the applied strain direction is achieved. Additionally, the mechanoluminescence of the sensor is collected by a photodiode, generating photocurrent that can be analyzed. This provides a solution for practical applications of sensor.