Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-21T13:08:51.420Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A multilayered flexible piezoresistive sensor for wide-ranged pressure measurement based on CNTs/CB/SR composite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2015

Ying Huang ,
Weihua Wang ,
Zhiguang Sun ,
Yue Wang ,
Ping Liu  and
Caixia Liu
Ying Huang*
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China; and Institute of Intelligence Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, People's Republic of China
Weihua Wang
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Zhiguang Sun
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Yue Wang
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Ping Liu
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Caixia Liu
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: hf.hy@163.com
Get access

Abstract

To optimize the structure of the flexible piezoresistive sensor based on conductive polymer composite and widen the workable pressure range, a piezoresistive sensor with a multilayered structure based on carbon nanotubes/carbon black/silicone rubber conductive composite was designed and investigated. Different from the traditional monolayer structure, this novel multilayered sensor consisted of three microstructured piezoresistive composite films. The experimental data showed that the electrical resistance of the sensor varied regularly with a wide range of applied pressure (0–1.8 MPa at least). The high sensitivity, high flexibility, facile fabrication, and low cost were also the advantages of this pressure sensor. In addition, the piezoresistive mechanism was studied and shown to be the synergistic effects of the contact resistance mechanism and bulk resistance mechanism. Factors influencing the piezoresistive properties were also investigated. Moreover, the consecutive loading tests verified the feasibility and stability to use this sensor element for pressure measurement.

Keywords

flexible piezoresistive sensorcarbon nanotubescarbon blacksilicone rubberconductive compositepressure measurement
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 30 , Issue 12 , 28 June 2015 , pp. 1869 - 1875
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Wagner, S., Lacour, S.P., Jones, J., Hsu, P.H.I., Sturm, J.C., Li, T., and Suo, Z.: Electronic skin: Architecture and components. Phys. E 25, 326 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lumpkin, E.A. and Caterina, M.J.: Mechanisms of sensory transduction in the skin. Nature 445, 858 (2007).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoshi, T. and Shinoda, H.: A tactile sensing element for a whole body robot skin. Int. Symp. Rob. 36, 31 (2005).Google Scholar
Someya, T., Sekitani, T., Iba, S., Kato, Y., Kawaguchi, H., and Sakurai, T.: Human-like artificial robot skin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 102, 35 (2005).Google Scholar
Tian, M., Huang, Y., Wang, W., Li, R., Liu, P., Liu, C., and Zhang, Y.: Temperature-dependent electrical properties of graphene nanoplatelets film dropped on flexible substrates. J. Mater. Res. 29, 1288 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, D., Huang, Y., Ma, Y., Liu, P., Liu, C., and Zhang, Y.: Research on highly sensitive humidity sensor based on Tr-MWCNT/HEC composite films. J. Mater. Res. 29, 2845 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, D. and Wang, H.: Design and evaluation of a skin-like sensor with high stretchability for contact pressure measurement. Sens. Actuators, A 204, 114 (2013).Google Scholar
Cotton, D.P., Graz, I.M., and Lacour, S.P.: A multifunctional capacitive sensor for stretchable electronic skins. IEEE Sens. J. 9, 2008 (2009).Google Scholar
Li, P. and Wen, Y.: An arbitrarily distributed tactile piezoelectric sensor array. Sens. Actuators, A 65, 141 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stassi, S., Cauda, V., Canavese, G., and Pirri, C.F.: Flexible tactile sensing based on piezoresistive composites: A review. Sensors 14, 5296 (2014).Google Scholar
Yang, Y.J., Cheng, M.Y., Chang, W.Y., Tsao, L.C., Yang, S.A., Shih, W.P., Chang, F.Y., Changa, S.H., and Fan, K.C.: An integrated flexible temperature and tactile sensing array using PI-copper films. Sens. Actuators, A 143, 143 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canavese, G., Stassi, S., Stralla, M., Bignardi, C., and Pirri, C.F.: Stretchable and conformable metal–polymer piezoresistive hybrid system. Sens. Actuators, A 186, 191 (2012).Google Scholar
Yu, X. and Kwon, E.: A carbon nanotube/cement composite with piezoresistive properties. Smart Mater. Struct. 18, 055010 (2009).Google Scholar
Yoshimuraa, K., Nakanoa, K., Okamotoa, K., and Miyakeb, T.: Mechanical and electrical properties in porous structure of Ketjenblack/silicone–rubber composites. Sens. Actuators, A 180, 55 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, B.L., Chen, G.H., and Lu, L.: Piezoresistive behavior study on finger-sensing silicone rubber/graphite nanosheet nanocomposites. Adv. Funct. Mater. 17, 898 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bao, S.P., Liang, G.D., and Tjong, S.C.: Effect of mechanical stretching on electrical conductivity and positive temperature coefficient characteristics of poly (vinylidene fluoride)/carbon nanofiber composites prepared by non-solvent precipitation. Carbon 49, 1758 (2011).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheng, Q., Bao, J., Park, J., Liang, Z., Zhang, C., and Wang, B.: High mechanical performance composite conductor: Multi-walled carbon nanotube sheet/bismaleimide nanocomposites. Adv. Funct. Mater. 19, 3219 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tamburrano, A., Sarasini, F., De Bellis, G., D’Aloia, A.G., and Sarto, M.S.: The piezoresistive effect in graphene-based polymeric composites. Nanotechnology 24, 465702 (2013).Google Scholar
Cravanzola, S., Haznedar, G., Scarano, D., Zecchina, A., and Cesano, F.: Carbon-based piezoresistive polymer composites: Structure and electrical properties. Carbon 62, 270 (2013).Google Scholar
Arboleda, L., Ares, A., Abad, M.J., Ferreira, A., Costa, P., and Lanceros-Mendez, S.: Piezoresistive response of carbon nanotubes-polyamides composites processed by extrusion. J. Polym. Res. 20, 1 (2013).Google Scholar
Kumar, S., Sun, L.L., Caceres, S., Li, B., Wood, W., Perugini, A., Maguire, R.G., and Zhong, W.H.: Dynamic synergy of graphitic nanoplatelets and multi-walled carbon nanotubes in polyetherimide nanocomposites. Nanotechnology 21, 105702 (2010).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sun, Y., Bao, H.D., Guo, Z.X., and Yu, J.: Modeling of the electrical percolation of mixed carbon fillers in polymer-based composites. Macromolecules 42, 459 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pan, L., Chortos, A., Yu, G., Wang, Y., Isaacson, S., Allen, R., and Bao, Z.: An ultra-sensitive resistive pressure sensor based on hollow-sphere microstructure induced elasticity in conducting polymer film. Nat. Commun. 5, 3002 (2014).Google Scholar
Park, J., Lee, Y., Hong, J., Ha, M., Jung, Y.D., Lim, H., and Ko, H.: Giant tunneling piezoresistance of composite elastomers with interlocked microdome arrays for ultrasensitive and multimodal electronic skins. ACS Nano 8, 4689 (2014).Google Scholar
Choong, C.L., Shim, M.B., Lee, B.S., Jeon, S., Ko, D.S., Kang, T.H., and Chung, U.I.: Highly stretchable resistive pressure sensors using a conductive elastomeric composite on a micropyramid array. Adv. Mater. 26, 3451 (2014).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Park, J., Lee, Y., Lim, S., Lee, Y., Jung, Y., Lim, H., and Ko, H.: Ultrasensitive piezoresistive pressure sensors based on interlocked micropillar arrays. BioNanoSci. 4, 349 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, L. and Li, J.: A piezoresistive flounder element based on conductive polymer composite. Sens. Actuators, A 216, 214 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, X.M., Gao, F., Cai, W.T., Liu, P., Miu, W., and Huang, Y.: Analysis of pressure-resistance calculating model of carbon nanotubes/carbon black/silicone rubber composite material. J. Funct. Mater. 44, 669 (2013).Google Scholar
Alig, I., Lellinger, D., Engel, M., Skipa, T., and Pötschke, P.: Destruction and formation of a conductive carbon nanotube network in polymer melts: In-line experiments. Polymer 49, 1902 (2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, R., Dowden, A., Deng, H., Baxendale, M., and Peijs, T.: Conductive network formation in the melt of carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyurethane composite. Compos. Sci. Technol. 69, 1499 (2009).Google Scholar
Gao, J.F., Li, Z.M., Meng, Q.J., and Yang, Q.: CNTs/UHMWPE composites with a two-dimensional conductive network. Mater. Lett. 62, 3530 (2008).Google Scholar
Zhang, W., Dehghani-Sanij, A.A., and Blackburn, R.S.: Carbon based conductive polymer composites. J. Mater. Sci. 42, 3408 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar