Modified resistivity–strain behavior through the incorporation of metallic particles in conductive polymer composite fibers containing carbon nanotubes

Abstract

AbstractEutectic metal particles and carbon nanotubes are incorporated into a thermoplastic polyurethane matrix through a simple but efficient method, melt compounding, to tune the resistivity–strain behavior of conductive polymer composite (CPC) fibers. Such a combination of conductive fillers is rarely used for CPCs in the literature. To characterize the strain‐sensing properties of these fibers, both linear and dynamic strain loadings are carried out. It is noted that a higher metal content in the fibers results in higher strain sensitivity. These strain‐sensing results are discussed through a morphological study combined with a model based on the classic tunneling model of Simmons. It is suggested that a high tunneling barrier height is preferred in order to achieve higher strain sensitivity. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry