Evaluation of conductivity and piezo-impedance response of VACNTs/PDMS nanocomposite-based strain sensors under small deformations

Abstract

The vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) / polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite-based strain sensors presented in this study show different behavior depending on catalyst concentrations for VACNT growth. Under static tensile load, the sensor with lower catalyst concentration shows a high gauge factor (GF~1400), whereupon tunneling effect is the mechanism that dictates the sensitivity. For higher concentrations, the GF decreases (GF~40) and shows an ohmic conduction. Morphological examinations showed VACNTs are homogeneously and randomly distributed as clusters with CNT bridging in the PDMS polymer matrix. Based on dielectric impedance (DI) and direct current (DC) electrical analysis, it was possible to identify that cut-off frequency (fc) increases with VACNTs concentration. Cut-off frequency can also define high sensitivity VACNT sensors with lower VACNT density. When compared with dispersed MWCNT sensors, VACNTs have a reduced fc due to the larger internal resistance variation associated with the high tunneling effect. This effect associated with the high sensitivity of the VACNT/PDMs sensors makes it a key factor to understand the mechanisms responsible for increasing the sensitivity and manufacturing of high GF nanocomposite stretchable sensors.