Flexible Strain Sensors Based On Printed Carbon Nanotube Layers On Polydimethylsiloxane

Keywords

3D printing; Carbon nanotube; Flexible strain sensor; Nanocomposites; Spray deposition modeling

Abstract

The unique mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanotubes represent a potential for developing a piezo-resistive strain sensor for smart structures. This study demonstrated a new processing technique of multi-walled carbon nanotube strain sensors with tunable strain gauge factors. A digital-controlled spraying-evaporation deposition process that uses a 12-array bubble jet nozzle attached to a digital x-y plotter combined with a heated substrate which induces evaporation of the solvent was developed. The experimental results showed that the prepared carbon nanotube strain sensors are capable of measuring strains through highly linear electrical resistance change. The fabricated sensors exhibit a high stretchability (in excess of 45%) and sensitivity with a highest gauge factor of 35.75. The gauge factors of the fabricated strain sensors could be easily tuned by controlling the number of printed layers of carbon nanotubes. The cyclic loading-unloading test results revealed that the strain sensors exhibited excellent long-term durability. These superior sensing capabilities of the fabricated CNT/Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) strain sensors offer them potential applications in wearable smart electronics and structural health monitoring.

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

ICCM International Conferences on Composite Materials

Volume

2017-August

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

85053123981 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85053123981

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