Adding conductive one-dimensional carbon nanomaterials to poly(dimethysiloxane) can form bio-compatible composites with significant electromechanical (piezoresistive) response. This effect can be effectively tuned by controlling the carbon nanofiller size, concentration, and distribution. However, to be applied as strain sensors, the composite material has to meet mechanical, sensitivity, temperature stability, and reliability requirements. Here we report on the study of cyclic electromechanical behaviors of poly(dimethysiloxane)/carbon nanofiber composites under different temperatures. Through mechanical training, reproducible and sensitive piezoresistive response suitable for large strain sensing can be obtained.
AmjadiMKyungKUParkISittiM (2016) Stretchable, skin-mountable, and wearable strain sensors and their potential applications: a review. Advanced Functional Materials26(11): 678–1698.
2.
BaoZHeM (2015) Invited paper: status and outlook of organic electronic materials for flexible and stretchable displays. In SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 91–93.
3.
BauhoferWKovacsJZ (2009) A review and analysis of electrical percolation in carbon nanotube polymer composites. Composites Science and Technology69(10): 1486–1498.
4.
Bautista-QuijanoJRAvilesFCauich-RodriguezJV (2013) Sensing of large strain using multiwall carbon nanotube/segmented polyurethane composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science130(1): 375–382.
5.
BeynnonBDFlemingBC (1998) Anterior cruciate ligament strain in-vivo: a review of previous work. Journal of biomechanics31(6): 519–525.
6.
BolandCSKhanUBackesCet al. (2014) Sensitive, high-strain, high-rate bodily motion sensors based on graphene–rubber composites. ACS Nano8(9): 8819–8830.
ClémentFBokobzaLMonnerieL (2001) On the Mullins effect in silica-filled polydimethylsiloxane networks. Rubber Chemistry and Technology74(5): 847–870.
9.
CostaPSilvaJAnsón-CasaosAet al. (2014) Effect of carbon nanotube type and functionalization on the electrical, thermal, mechanical and electromechanical properties of carbon nanotube/styrene–butadiene–styrene composites for large strain sensor applications. Composites Part B: Engineering61: 136–146.
10.
DalmasFDendievelRChazeauLet al. (2006) Carbon nanotube-filled polymer composites. Numerical simulation of electrical conductivity in three-dimensional entangled fibrous networks. Acta Materialia54(11): 2923–2931.
11.
DianiJFayolleBGilorminiP (2009) A review on the Mullins effect. European Polymer Journal45(3): 601–612.
12.
DuFScognaRCZhouWet al. (2004) Nanotube networks in polymer nanocomposites: rheology and electrical conductivity. Macromolecules37(24): 9048–9055.
13.
FarooqMSazonovE (2015) Strain sensors in wearable devices. In Wearable Electronics Sensors. Springer International Publishing, pp. 221–239.
14.
FerrreiraARochaJGAnsón-CasaosAet al. (2012) Electromechanical performance of poly (vinylidene fluoride)/carbon nanotube composites for strain sensor applications. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical178: 10–16.
15.
FlemingBCBeynnonBD (2004) In vivomeasurement of ligament/tendon strains and forces: a review. Annals of biomedical engineering32(3): 318–328.
16.
GeorgousisGPandisCChatzimanolis-MoustakasCet al. (2015) Study of the reinforcing mechanism and strain sensing in a carbon black filled elastomer. Composites Part B: Engineering80: 20–26.
17.
GonçalvesBFOliveiraJCostaPet al. (2017) Development of water-based printable piezoresistive sensors for large strain applications. Composites Part B: Engineering112: 344–352.
18.
GouyetJF (1992) Physique et structures fractales. Paris: Masson.
19.
HammockMLChortosATeeBCKet al. (2013) 25th anniversary article: the evolution of electronic skin (e-skin): a brief history, design considerations, and recent progress. Advanced Materials25(42): 5997–6038.
20.
HuNKarubeYYanCet al. (2008) Tunneling effect in a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposite strain sensor. Acta Materialia56(13): 2929–2936.
21.
JeonJYHaTJ (2016) Waterproof electronic-bandage with tunable sensitivity for wearable strain sensors. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces8(4): 2866–2871.
22.
JeongYRParkHJinSWet al. (2015) Highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensors using fragmentized graphene foam. Advanced Functional Materials25(27): 4228–4236.
23.
KimKKHongSChoHMet al. (2015) Highly sensitive and stretchable multidimensional strain sensor with prestrained anisotropic metal nanowire percolation networks. Nano Letters15(8): 5240–5247.
24.
LiCThostensonETChouTW (2007) Dominant role of tunneling resistance in the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube–based composites. Applied Physics Letters91(22): 223114.
25.
Lozano-PérezCCauich-RodríguezJVAvilésF (2016) Influence of rigid segment and carbon nanotube concentration on the cyclic piezoresistive and hysteretic behavior of multiwall carbon nanotube/segmented polyurethane composites. Composites Science and Technology128: 25–32.
26.
LuJLuMBermakALeeYK (2007) Study of piezoresistance effect of carbon nanotube-PDMS composite materials for nanosensors. In Nanotechnology, 2007. IEEE-NANO 2007. 7th IEEE Conference, pp. 1240–1243. IEEE.
27.
MatzeuGFloreaLDiamondD (2015) Advances in wearable chemical sensor design for monitoring biological fluids. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical211: 403–418.
28.
NiuCSichelEKHochRet al. (1997) High power electrochemical capacitors based on carbon nanotube electrodes. Applied Physics Letters70(11): 1480–1482.
29.
NjugunaMKYanCHuNet al. (2012) Sandwiched carbon nanotube film as strain sensor. Composites Part B: Engineering43(6): 2711–2717.
30.
ObitayoWLiuT (2012) A review: carbon nanotube-based piezoresistive strain sensors. Journal of Sensors.
31.
ParkJJHyunWJMunSCet al. (2015) Highly stretchable and wearable graphene strain sensors with controllable sensitivity for human motion monitoring. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces7(11): 6317–6324.
32.
RavaryBPourcelotPBortolussiCet al. (2004) Strain and force transducers used in human and veterinary tendon and ligament biomechanical studies. Clinical Biomechanics19(5): 433–447.
33.
RyuSLeePChouJBet al. (2015) Extremely elastic wearable carbon nanotube fiber strain sensor for monitoring of human motion. ACS Nano9(6): 5929–5936.
34.
WangXFuXChungDDL (1998) Electromechanical study of carbon fiber composites. Journal of materials research13(11): 3081–3092.
35.
XieXLMaiYWZhouXP (2005) Dispersion and alignment of carbon nanotubes in polymer matrix: a review. Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports49(4): 89–112.
36.
YanYSencadasVZhangJet al. (2017) Processing, characterisation and electromechanical behaviour of elastomeric multiwall carbon nanotubes-poly (glycerol sebacate) nanocomposites for piezoresistive sensors applications. Composites Science and Technology142: 163–170.
37.
YuYSongSBuZet al. (2013) Influence of filler waviness and aspect ratio on the percolation threshold of carbon nanomaterials reinforced polymer nanocomposites. Journal of Materials Science48(17): 5727–5732.
38.
ZhangJZouHQingQet al. (2003) Effect of chemical oxidation on the structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B107(16): 3712–3718.
39.
ZhangRDengHValencaRet al. (2013) Strain sensing behaviour of elastomeric composite films containing carbon nanotubes under cyclic loading. Composites Science and Technology74: 1–5.
40.
ZhouJHSuiZJZhuJet al. (2006) Characterization of surface oxygen complexes on carbon nanofibers by TPD, XPS and FT-IR. Carbon45(4): 785–796.
41.
ZhuJKimJPengHet al. (2003) Improving the dispersion and integration of single-walled carbon nanotubes in epoxy composites through functionalization. Nano Letters3(8): 1107–1113.
