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Highly Sensitive and Stretchable Carbon Nanotube/Fluoroelastomer Nanocomposite with a Double‐Percolated Network for Wearable Electronics
Author(s) -
Shajari Shaghayegh,
Mahmoodi Mehdi,
Rajabian Mahmoud,
Karan Kunal,
Sundararaj Uttandaraman,
Sudak Les Jozef
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced electronic materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.25
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 2199-160X
DOI - 10.1002/aelm.201901067
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocomposite , carbon nanotube , gauge factor , stretchable electronics , composite material , elastomer , nanotechnology , fabrication , electronics , medicine , chemistry , alternative medicine , pathology
Abstract A smart stretchable material is developed from a composite of carbon nanotube (CNT) and fluoroelastomer (FKM), which is fabricated via an internal melt‐mixer method. A unique, double‐percolated, electrically conductive network is observed with ultralow percolation thresholds of 0.45 phr and 1.40 phr CNT. This provides the CNT/FKM nanocomposites with a wide range of strain sensitivity. Thin‐film nanocomposites at the first plateau of conductivity show an ultrahigh sensitivity with a gauge factor (GF) of 1010 at 23% strain for 0.6 phr and of 6750 at 34% strain for 1 phr. At the second plateau of conductivity, 1.5 phr nanocomposite corresponds to higher levels of strain of 78% strain with ultrahigh GF of more than 4 × 10 4 and 2 phr nanocomposite to almost 100% strain with GF of 1.3 × 10 5 . The CNT/FKM nanocomposites possess a high elongation at break of 430% and up to 232% strain sensitivity. The unique distribution of CNTs in the polar fluoroelastomer FKM facilitates simultaneous high sensitivity and high stretchability, and improved mechanical strength over reported polymer‐based nanocomposite stretchable sensors. The novel, stretchable CNT‐based FKM conductors have great potential for wearable electronics such as stretchable sensors, stretchable light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), and human motion monitoring.