The effects of ethanol content on the electrical response of IPMC for drinking perception

Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) is a kind of smart material that integrates functions of actuating and sensing. In this paper, we demonstrated a new sensing function of IPMC to detect the concentration of ethanol by investigating the effects of ethanol content on the electrical response of IPMC. Benefiting from the ion migration effect in the Nafion matrix, the voltage of IPMC varies with different ethanol concentrations. It was found that the response process of IPMC to ethanol solution can be divided into a rapid response stage caused by concentration difference and a slow response stage caused by uneven mechanical stress. The voltage change caused by the concentration difference was defined as the response voltage, and the sensitivity of the IPMC sensor to ethanol concentration was 4.39 mV. We have demonstrated the good cyclability and stability of IPMC to ethanol by experiments. Furthermore, the IPMC sensor was applied to respiratory monitoring after drinking. It has been proven that the IPMC sensor can monitor the changes in alcohol concentration after drinking, which is of great significance for the prevention of stroke after drinking. [Display omitted] •The response mechanism of IPMC to ethanol is clarified.•The effects of ethanol concentration to electrical response of IPMC is investigated.•The IPMC sensor shows good applying potential in respiratory monitoring after drinking.