Enhancing the properties of graphene oxide/natural rubber nanocomposite‐based strain sensor modified by amino‐functionalized silanes

Abstract

AbstractThis work investigates the influence of modified graphene oxide (mGO) on the properties of natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites. GO was modified by amino‐functionalized silane coupling agents, that is, (3‐aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and [3‐(2‐aminoethyl amino)propyl]trimethoxysilane (TMPES), hereafter referred to as AGO and TGO, respectively. The use of silane‐mGOs had a positive effect on the properties of the NR nanocomposites compared with unmodified GO, that is, a faster cure time, increased crosslink density, strengthened filler–rubber interaction, improved filler dispersion, and enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. Among the different types of silanes, the TGO/NR nanocomposite showed better mechanical and electrical properties than the AGO/NR nanocomposite because of its high crosslink density and strong filler–rubber interaction. To ascertain the potential for application as a strain sensor, the electrical resistance of nanocomposites during finger motion was determined. An increase in electrical resistance of the nanocomposites containing mGOs during finger motion was observed, which strongly supports the finding that NR nanocomposites containing silane‐mGOs are a potentially suitable material to produce a strain sensor.