Electrical Response of MWCNT/xGnP/PDMS Hybrid Composites under Compression

Abstract

Hybrid composites consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were fabricated, and their piezoresistive behavior and Raman spectroscopic response under compression were characterized. The electrical property measurement revealed a decrease in electrical resistance when a compressive load was applied. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the extent of compressive strains in the hybrid composites, that is, the formation of conductive network depended not on carbon nanomaterial mobility or orientation but on polymer chain vibration or mobility. Due to polymer chain movement, the distance between and the network density of carbon nanomaterials in PDMS were reconfigured and resulted in change in electrical response. © 2016, The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX).