A seismic sensor based on IPMC combined with ferrofluids

In this paper preliminary results regarding a seismic sensor based on Ionic Polymer Metal Composite is presented. The device consists of a vial, filled with ferrofluid, in which an IPMC cantilever beam, used as a sensor, is encapsulated. External magnetic fields are imposed in order to modify the density of the ferrofluid in which the IPMC sensor is immersed. Considering that a beam immersed in a fluid changes both its resonant frequency and amplitude of oscillation, on the basis of the fluid properties in which it is immersed, the methodology proposed allows for the implementation of a sensor with tunable characteristics