Effect of compressive and tensile strains on the electrical resistivity of carbon microcoil/silicone–rubber composites

Abstract

Spring-shaped carbon microcoils (CMCs) were embedded in silicone–rubber to form CMC/silicone–rubber composites. The electrical and mechanical properties of the composites were examined and compared with those of the composites involving straight carbon nanofibers and carbon blacks as a conductor. The electrical resistivity of the CMC/silicone–rubber composites decreased dramatically by increasing the CMC content and was as low as 100 Ω cm at 10% CMC volume content. With a compressive or tensile strain, the resistivity increased sharply much more than that of the other composites. The high resistive sensitivity of the composites is ascribed to an easy-to-deform configuration of the CMCs in the composites under an applied stress.