Preparation, characterization and micromolding of multi-walled carbon nanotube polydimethylsiloxane conducting nanocomposite polymer

Abstract

We present the preparation, characterization and micromolding of a flexible electrically conducting nanocomposite polymer which has been prepared by ultrasonic agitation with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). We demonstrate microfabrication of the conducting nanocomposite through soft lithography micromolding of hole and post structures (minimum feature size of 200 ± 10 μm, with a height of approximately 200 μm) against a polymer master. We characterize and compare the current–voltage characteristics of films 1 mm × 1 mm × 200 µm in size as a function of different weight percentages of MWCNT (ranging from 0.8 to 2.5 wt.%) with the result that the conductivity remains low until approximately 1.5 wt.%.