Electrical response, elastic property, and pressure sensing under bending of hybrid graphene/CNT/elastomer nanocomposites

TY - JOUR

T1 - Electrical response, elastic property, and pressure sensing under bending of hybrid graphene/CNT/elastomer nanocomposites

AU - Du, Han

AU - Mazzeo, Aaron D.

AU - Shan, Jerry W.

AU - Xia, Xiaodong

AU - Weng, George J.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2023/5/1

Y1 - 2023/5/1

N2 - The hybrid graphene/carbon nanotube (CNT)/elastomer nanocomposite is studied as a pressure sensor under bending. The main idea is that, due to the uneven elastic deformation between the softer elastomer matrix and the stiffer nanofillers, the volume fractions of graphene and CNTs both increase as a result of bending, and this in turn triggers higher electrical conductivity and superb sensing performance of the nanocomposite. This effect is analyzed through a three-phase composite model that contains graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and CNTs in a fluorinated elastomer matrix. We also show how the elastic and electrical properties of the hybrid nanocomposite depend on the graphene and CNT volume fractions. It is demonstrated that, with the increase of bending pressure from 0 to 1 KPa, the sensor resistance reduced by several orders of magnitude, which makes the hybrid sensor conductive from an insulator and an ideal pressure sensor.

AB - The hybrid graphene/carbon nanotube (CNT)/elastomer nanocomposite is studied as a pressure sensor under bending. The main idea is that, due to the uneven elastic deformation between the softer elastomer matrix and the stiffer nanofillers, the volume fractions of graphene and CNTs both increase as a result of bending, and this in turn triggers higher electrical conductivity and superb sensing performance of the nanocomposite. This effect is analyzed through a three-phase composite model that contains graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and CNTs in a fluorinated elastomer matrix. We also show how the elastic and electrical properties of the hybrid nanocomposite depend on the graphene and CNT volume fractions. It is demonstrated that, with the increase of bending pressure from 0 to 1 KPa, the sensor resistance reduced by several orders of magnitude, which makes the hybrid sensor conductive from an insulator and an ideal pressure sensor.

KW - Electrical and elastic properties

KW - Hybrid graphene/CNT/elastomer nanocomposite

KW - Interface effects

KW - Piezoresistive pressure sensor

KW - Tunneling resistance

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U2 - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.116838

DO - 10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.116838

M3 - Article

SN - 0263-8223

VL - 311

JO - Composite Structures

JF - Composite Structures

M1 - 116838

ER -