Making a bilateral compression/tension sensor by pre-stretching open-crack networks in carbon nanotube papers
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Composite and Heterogeneous Material Analysis and Simulation Laboratory (COHMAS)Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division
Mechanical Engineering Program
Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
KAUST Grant Number
BAS/1/1315-01-01Date
2018-09-13Online Publication Date
2018-09-13Print Publication Date
2018-10-03Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/628756
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Highly stretchable strain sensors are key elements of new applications in wearable electronics and soft robotics. Most of the available technologies only measure positive strain (stretching), and cannot measure negative strains (compression). We propose here a stretchable technology that enables the measurement of both negative and positive strains with high sensitivity. A carbon nanotube paper is pre-cracked to introduce a well-controlled network of open cracks as the sensing element; then, the pre-cracked paper is sandwiched by thermoplastic elastomer. The resulting sensor is also pre-stretched and subjected to thermal annealing, which removes any residual stress so the pre-streched configuration remains stable. This process results in a stretchable structure with a network of open cracks that is sensitive to both negative and positive strains. We demonstrate that such sensors can measure negative strains up to -13% with high sensitivity and robust stretchability.Citation
Xin Y, Zhou J, Tao R, Xu X, Lubineau G (2018) Making a Bilateral Compression/Tension Sensor by Pre-Stretching Open-Crack Networks in Carbon Nanotube Papers. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b08166.Sponsors
The research reported in this publication was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under award number BAS/1/1315-01-01.Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)Additional Links
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.8b08166ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1021/acsami.8b08166