Abstract
Flexible sensors with a high sensitivity and wide-frequency response are essential for structural health monitoring (SHM) while they are attached. Here, carbon nanotube (CNT) films doped with various PVA fractions (CNT/PVA) and ZnO nanowires (nano-ZnO) on zinc sheets were first fabricated by functionalized self-assembly and hydrothermal synthesis processes. A CNT/PVA/nano-ZnO flexible composite (CNT/PVA/ZnO) sandwiched with a zinc wafer was then prepared by the spin-coating method. The piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric capabilities of the CNT/PVA/ZnO composite were comprehensively investigated under cyclic bending and impact loading after it was firmly adhered to a substrate (polypropylene sheet or mortar plate). The results show that the piezoresistive sensitivity and linear stability of the CNT/PVA films doped with 20%, 50%, and 100% PVA during bending are 5.47%/mm, 11.082%/mm, and 11.95%/mm and 2.3%, 3.42%, and 4.78%, respectively. The piezoelectric sensitivity, linear stability, and response accuracy of the CNT/PVA/ZnO composite under impulse loading are 4.87 mV/lbf, 3.42%, and 1.496 ms, respectively. These merits support the use of CNT/PVA/ZnO as a piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric compound sensor to monitor the static/dynamic loads on concrete structures while it is attached.
Highlights
Flexible sensors with a high sensitivity and wide-frequency response are essential for structural health monitoring (SHM) while they are attached
Structural health monitoring (SHM) of the structural integrity of concrete structures under external static/ dynamic loading has become an important tool to ensure the safety of various types of infrastructure
fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has some disadvantages that restrict its wider application in SHM, such as high brittleness if there is no packaging process, incompatibility when embedded in concrete structures, and sophisticated synthesis, substrate selection and packaging[3,4] processes.; in addition, the FBG needs to be equipped with a signal demodulator[5]
Summary
Flexible sensors with a high sensitivity and wide-frequency response are essential for structural health monitoring (SHM) while they are attached. Carbon nanotube (CNT) films doped with various PVA fractions (CNT/PVA) and ZnO nanowires (nano-ZnO) on zinc sheets were first fabricated by functionalized self-assembly and hydrothermal synthesis processes. The piezoelectric sensitivity, linear stability, and response accuracy of the CNT/PVA/ZnO composite under impulse loading are 4.87 mV/lbf, 3.42%, and 1.496 ms, respectively These merits support the use of CNT/PVA/ ZnO as a piezoresistive and/or piezoelectric compound sensor to monitor the static/dynamic loads on concrete structures while it is attached. Gau et al developed a polyimide-CNT film by the spin coating method and formed it into a flexible sensor for structural pressure detection and found that the polyimide-CNT sensor had the basic sensing characteristics of a sensor, such as sensitivity, linearity and repeatability[21].
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