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Effect of Solvent on Segregated Network Morphology in Elastomer Composites for Tunable Piezoresistivity
Author(s) -
Sang Zhen,
Guo Haochen,
Ke Kai,
ManasZloczower Ica
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201900278
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , piezoresistive effect , thermoplastic polyurethane , elastomer , gauge factor , morphology (biology) , fabrication , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , biology , genetics
Flexible, light‐weight, and wearable electronics have significant potential for the development of Internet of Things. Flexible sensors with tunable piezoresistive properties are in high demand for various practical applications. Herein, different morphology thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/ carbon nanostructure (CNS) composites with segregated network are obtained by swelling the TPU powders using various solvents. The better solvent for TPU, dimethylformamide (DMF), renders the composites with 0.7 wt% CNS stronger polymer‐filler interactions, resulting in significantly improved piezoresistive sensitivity at strain larger than 150%. Also the gauge factors ( G F s) for these composites are 9.7 in the range 0–60% strain and 19.3 for 60–100% strain. In contrast, the composites with ethanol (EtOH) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) which swell less the TPU show delayed increase in piezoresistivity and G F s of 2.2 and 3.5 for strain up to 100%, respectively, suggesting potential applications for stretchable conductors.