Patent Description:
As one of humidity-sensitive (humidity) sensors to detect a change in the humidity in a space, there has been known a humidity-sensitive indicator that enables a change in the humidity to be visually recognized via a color change. For this purpose, a coating made of a humidity-sensitive composite material obtained by combining a material that changes its color by humidity with other materials may be used.

For example, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a coating comprising an electron-donating color developing compound, an acidic compound that is solid at normal temperature, a deliquescent substance, porous particles, and an aqueous resin emulsion, as a coating for humidity-sensitive indicators. Here, employed is a fact that the porous particles absorb moisture faster than the deliquescent substance does, and when the amount of moisture absorbed by the porous particles approaches to its saturation, the deliquescent substance starts to absorb moisture and is fluidized. As the amount of the porous particles added increases, the humidity to be detected by the humidity-sensitive indicator shifts to a higher region, and the color is assumed to be changed or decolored.

Alternatively, there has been known a humidity-sensitive sensor that detects a change in the humidity in a space as an electrical change.

For example, Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a humidity-sensitive composite material for humidity sensors obtained by combining porous apatite hydroxide with an inorganic halide such as calcium chloride or ammonium chloride. When a molded article of such a humidity-sensitive composite material is provided with a pair of electrodes, it is assumed that variation in the relative humidity in the gas in contact with the molded article can be detected via variation in the impedance value between the electrodes.

Incidentally, as described in Non-Patent Literature <NUM>, in the case of monitoring a human who feels heat and discomfort or the vicinity of the human, for a wet bulb globe temperature index for use in prevention of heatstroke and the like and a discomfort index for evaluation of the environment, providing clothing or the like worn by the human with a humidity-sensitive sensor is considered. A humidity-sensitive composite material may be used also here. Non-Patent Literature <NUM> states that a humidity-sensitive composite material obtained by compounding ceramic with a polymer may achieve excellent water resistance and resistance against high humidity at room temperature and be stably used under a highly humid atmosphere for a long period. Specifically, Non-Patent Literature <NUM> discloses a humidity-sensitive composite material obtained by coating a ceramic fired body based on titania/copper oxide with a polymer.

<CIT> describes a heat buffering composition, wherein an aqueous solution containing a deliquescent water-soluble substance is held in the pores of porous particles, wherein the porous particles are dispersed in a resin. The porous particles are made of zeolite, diatomaceous earth etc. The resin in which the porous particles are dispersed can be a thermosetting resin such as a silicone resin. However, the <CIT> does not describe the resin to contain any pores, let alone that the deliquescent substance would be retained in pores of the resin.

As described above, it has been proposed to provide clothing or the like worn by a human with a humidity-sensitive sensor. Such a humidity-sensitive sensor as a wearable device is required to follow human movements and give stable humidity measurement. That is, the humidity-sensitive sensor is required to have stretchability and not to greatly affect the humidity responsiveness due to this stretching.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a humidity-sensitive composite material having stretchability for a humidity sensor applicable to clothing as a wearable device, and this humidity sensor.

The humidity-sensitive composite material according to the present invention is described in claim <NUM>.

There may be provided a humidity-sensitive component (member) such as a humidity-sensitive sensor that may follow human movements and provide stable humidity measurement.

In the invention described above, the pores may be substantially spherical independent pores dispersed. According to the present invention, there may be provided a humidity-sensitive sensor that provides stable humidity measurement.

In the invention described above, the inorganic compound may be a metal chloride. The metal chloride may be any one of chlorides of lithium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium or a combination thereof.

The humidity sensor according to the present invention is described in claim <NUM>.

It is possible to follow human movements and provide stable humidity measurement.

The invention described above may be characterized by giving a change in ambient humidity via a change in the dielectric constant. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide stable humidity measurement.

In the invention described above, the pores may be substantially spherical independent pores dispersed. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide stable humidity measurement.

In the invention described above, the inorganic compound may be a metal chloride. The metal chloride may be any one of chlorides of lithium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium or a combination thereof. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide stable humidity measurement.

Hereinafter, a humidity-sensitive composite material and a humidity sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, a humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> includes a large number of closed pores <NUM> inside a base material <NUM> made of a porous silicone resin. Each of the pores <NUM> accommodates the deliquescent inorganic compound <NUM> therein. The pores <NUM> are independent closed pores without communicating with one another. The independent pores are also preferably substantially spherical and dispersed.

Examples of the deliquescent inorganic compound <NUM> include magnesium bromide, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium bromide, sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium bromide, calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, and hydrates thereof. As described below, one of or a combination of these may be used depending on a desired level of humidity sensitivity. A metal chloride is preferable, and at least any one of or a combination of chlorides of lithium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium is preferred.

Here, the base material <NUM> made of a porous silicone resin is permeable to water vapor but impermeable to liquid water. Accordingly, the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> absorbs water vapor that has entered the independent pores <NUM> with the inorganic compound <NUM> to generate a deliquescent liquid, and holds the deliquescent liquid in the pores <NUM>.

Since the absorption and release of water vapor by the deliquescent substance is an equilibrium phenomenon in accordance with the partial pressure of the water vapor, the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> absorbs a large amount of water vapor and holds the water vapor inside as a deliquescent liquid until equilibrium with the surrounding water vapor partial pressure is achieved. On the other hand, the deliquescent liquid, which is retained in the closed pores <NUM>, neither leaks nor electrically short-circuits the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM>.

That is, detecting the amount of the deliquescent liquid retained by the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> enables a humidity sensor to be provided.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, sandwiching the bulk of the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> between a pair of counter electrodes <NUM> and <NUM> enables a humidity sensor <NUM> to be provided. The counter electrodes <NUM> and <NUM> are made of a moisture-permeable material. That is, detecting a change in the dielectric constant based on the amount of the deliquescent liquid retained by the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> enables a change in the surrounding water vapor partial pressure to be detected and thus a change in the humidity to be detected.

In particular, the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> including a silicone resin as the base material <NUM> has flexibility and stretchability and can be flexibly deformed. Therefore, when a material having flexibility and stretchability is used as the counter electrodes <NUM> and <NUM>, the humidity sensor <NUM> can be suitably attached to clothing as a wearable device. Then, the humidity sensor <NUM> can follow human movements and provide stable humidity measurement. The humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> can be made use of to provide various humidity-sensitive components (members).

Next, an exemplary actually-manufactured humidity sensor <NUM> including the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

As the silicone resin for the base material <NUM>, PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) was used. As the inorganic compound <NUM>, calcium chloride was used.

First, an aqueous solution of calcium chloride at a concentration of <NUM> to <NUM> wt% and a PDMS prepolymer were mixed at a weight ratio of <NUM>:<NUM> and well stirred to obtain an emulsion in which the calcium chloride aqueous solution was dispersed. Incidentally, an aqueous solution of calcium chloride at a concentration of <NUM>% by weight means water. The emulsion was spin-coated at a thickness of about <NUM> on a plate-shaped Al electrode and cured by heating. Au was sputtered on the cured calcium chloride-PDMS composite film to produce a moisture-permeable electrode having a thickness of <NUM>. That is, produced was the humidity sensor <NUM>, which is an element having a structure including a calcium chloride-PDMS composite membrane sandwiched between (moisture-permeable) electrodes.

The produced humidity sensor <NUM> was placed in a thermostatic bath at <NUM>. The capacitance of the humidity sensor <NUM> was measured while the humidity inside the thermostatic bath was changed from <NUM> to <NUM>%, and then, the relative permittivity of the humidity sensor <NUM> with respect to the humidity was provided.

As shown in <FIG>, the value of the real part (εr') of the relative permittivity did not substantially change when no calcium chloride was contained (<NUM> wt%). In contrast, when calcium chloride was contained, the value increased with an increase in humidity, and the value rapidly increased particularly at a relative humidity of <NUM>% or more.

As shown in <FIG>, the value of the imaginary part (εr") of the relative permittivity increased as the humidity increased, but the value was very small as compared with the real part.

From the above, it was shown that the produced humidity sensor <NUM> contained calcium chloride as the inorganic compound <NUM> in the pores <NUM> and did not cause leakage of the generated deliquescent liquid or a short circuit accompanying the leakage even in a high humidity region.

Further, the humidity sensor <NUM> is produced from the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> with the inorganic compound <NUM> changed, and the results of examination on the change in the capacitance with respect to the humidity for each will be described. The used materials as the inorganic compound <NUM> were <NUM> metal chlorides: lithium chloride, potassium chloride, and magnesium chlorid. Each of the chlorides was caused to be contained in an amount of <NUM>% by weight in the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM> as with the calcium chloride described above. As the silicone resin to be the base material <NUM> of the humidity-sensitive composite material <NUM>, PDMS was used. For the humidity sensor <NUM> including each of the humidity-sensitive composite materials <NUM>, the capacitances at relative humidities of <NUM>%, <NUM>%, and <NUM>% were measured.

Claim 1:
A humidity-sensitive composite material (<NUM>) for absorbing and releasing water vapor in accordance with a surrounding water vapor partial pressure comprising a base material (<NUM>) made of a porous silicone resin including a large number of independent closed pores (<NUM>), and a deliquescent liquid of a deliquescent inorganic compound (<NUM>) retained in each of the independent closed pores (<NUM>) inside the base material (<NUM>), wherein the porous silicone resin is permeable to water vapor but impermeable to liquid water.