On the Attenuation of Light by a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Foam and Its Implementation as a Weight Sensor

This work explores the optical properties of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) foam, showing how compression alters its light transmission. Spectroscopic studies reveal that transmitted intensity decreases exponentially with foam thickness, consistent with Lambert’s law. Leveraging this effect, a simple weight sensor was fabricated using compressed PDMS foam placed between transparent plates and illuminated with a light source. The sensor shows a linear response from 500 g to 2800 g with a sensitivity of 0.42 mV/kg, high repeatability, and no hysteresis. The study highlights PDMS foams as promising candidates for low-cost, lightweight optical sensing applications.

Key Findings

• Transmitted light through PDMS foam decreases exponentially with thickness, consistent with Lambert’s law.
• A simple weight sensor using PDMS foam and optical transmission shows linear response in the 500–2800 g range.
• The sensor exhibits high repeatability with no hysteresis.
• Demonstrates potential of PDMS foams as low-cost materials for lightweight optical sensing applications.

Recommended citation: Tamhane D.U., Morarka A.R. On the Attenuation of Light by a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Foam and Its Implementation as a Weight Sensor. MAPAN. 2017;32:1–6.
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