Analytical formulation of the piezoresistive behavior of carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposites: The effect of temperature on strain sensing performance

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are incorporated into a stretchable polymer to determine modified thermo-resistive and piezoresistive responses of a nanocomposite under temperature variation and mechanical strain. Monte Carlo simulation is paired with tunneling model to disperse CNTs into the representative volume element and recognize CNT-to-CNT separation distance to predict the resistance change of nanocomposites subjected to strain. The principle of thermo-electrical properties is studied under thermo-mechanical stimulus. Nanotube reorientation model is used to investigate the influence of CNT’s tunneling and state of alignment on the piezoresistive behavior of the nanocomposite. Comparisons between modeling results and experimental data suggested a good agreement. The nearly linear dependence of relative resistance change with strain displayed more sensitivity with shorter CNTs and less sensitivity with higher CNT volume fractions. Relative resistance change with temperature was strongly affected by CNTs’ temperature coefficient of resistance and volume fraction. Such change was more pronounced for the anisotropic nanocomposite.