Electromechanical strain sensing using polycarbonate-impregnated carbon nanotube–graphene nanoplatelet hybrid composite sheets

Abstract We report an experimental study on the electromechanical strain sensing ability of polycarbonate-impregnated hybrid sheets consisting of exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets, nanographene platelets, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The hybrid sheets were fabricated through surfactant-aided carbon nanomaterial dispersion followed by vacuum-induced filtration. The inherently porous sheets were impregnated with polycarbonate by infiltrating a polycarbonate–chloroform solution through the sheets. SEM analyses revealed that combining nanomaterials of various sizes and dimensions can serve as a means to control the porous network structure, which allows controlled polymer impregnation and tailored strain sensitivity. The wide-area strain sensing ability of the polymer-impregnated composite sheets was demonstrated by subjecting the composites with multiple electrodes to a flexural load and measuring the piezoresistivity in situ. The study demonstrated successful hybridization of 1D fiber-like and 2D platelet-like carbon nanomaterials into freestanding sheets with controlled nanostructure and properties, which can be used as preforms for easy-to-handle, high-carbon-content, multi-functional composite sheets.

[1]  Qiyuan He,et al.  Graphene-based materials: synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications. , 2011, Small.

[2]  Rui Zhang,et al.  Universal resistivity-strain dependence of carbon nanotube/polymer composites , 2007 .

[3]  H. Wagner,et al.  Sensors and sensitivity: Carbon nanotube buckypaper films as strain sensing devices , 2011 .

[4]  Qiang Zhang,et al.  Open‐Ended, N‐Doped Carbon Nanotube–Graphene Hybrid Nanostructures as High‐Performance Catalyst Support , 2011 .

[5]  Rui Zhang,et al.  Strain dependent resistance in chemical vapor deposition grown graphene , 2011 .

[6]  Krishnan Balasubramaniam,et al.  Functionalized graphene reinforced thermoplastic nanocomposites as strain sensors in structural health monitoring , 2011 .

[7]  Tao Liu,et al.  A Review: Carbon Nanotube-Based Piezoresistive Strain Sensors , 2012, J. Sensors.

[8]  Fuh-Gwo Yuan,et al.  Carbon nanotube yarn strain sensors , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[9]  Dingshan Yu,et al.  Self-Assembled Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Films for Supercapacitors , 2010 .

[10]  Tsu-Wei Chou,et al.  Theoretical studies on the charge-induced failure of single-walled carbon nanotubes , 2007 .

[11]  A. Hirsch The era of carbon allotropes. , 2010, Nature materials.

[12]  L. Brinson,et al.  Functionalized graphene sheets for polymer nanocomposites. , 2008, Nature nanotechnology.

[13]  Wonbong Choi,et al.  An all-graphene based transparent and flexible field emission device , 2011 .

[14]  Mark J. Schulz,et al.  A carbon nanotube strain sensor for structural health monitoring , 2006 .

[15]  L. Drzal,et al.  Multifunctional polypropylene composites produced by incorporation of exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets , 2007 .

[16]  N. Hu,et al.  Tunneling effect in a polymer/carbon nanotube nanocompositestrain sensor , 2008 .

[17]  Won Jun Lee,et al.  Tailored Assembly of Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene , 2011 .

[18]  H. Wagner,et al.  Polarized resonance Raman spectroscopy of single-wall carbon nanotubes within a polymer under strain , 2002 .

[19]  R. Banerjee,et al.  Synthesis and characterization of self-organized multilayered graphene–carbon nanotube hybrid films , 2011 .

[20]  John Parthenios,et al.  Development of a universal stress sensor for graphene and carbon fibres , 2011, Nature Communications.

[21]  C. Macosko,et al.  Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites , 2010 .

[22]  N. Hu,et al.  Investigation on sensitivity of a polymer/carbon nanotube composite strain sensor , 2010 .

[23]  F. Avilés,et al.  Electrical and piezoresistive properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polymer composite films aligned by an electric field , 2011 .

[24]  N. Pu,et al.  Preparation of graphene/multi-walled carbon nanotube hybrid and its use as photoanodes of dye-sensitized solar cells , 2011 .

[25]  K. Balasubramaniam,et al.  One-pot synthesis of conducting graphene-polymer composites and their strain sensing application. , 2012, Nanoscale.

[26]  Satish Nagarajaiah,et al.  Nanotube film based on single-wall carbon nanotubes for strain sensing , 2004 .

[27]  Myounggu Park,et al.  Strain-dependent electrical resistance of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polymer composite films , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[28]  D. Tasis,et al.  Carbon nanotube–polymer composites: Chemistry, processing, mechanical and electrical properties , 2010 .

[29]  Hugen Yan,et al.  Phonon softening and crystallographic orientation of strained graphene studied by Raman spectroscopy , 2009, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[30]  Yiyu Feng,et al.  Transparent, Conductive, and Flexible Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Hybrid Electrodes with Two Three-Dimensional Microstructures , 2012 .

[31]  Hyung Wook Park,et al.  Piezoresistive behavior and multi-directional strain sensing ability of carbon nanotube–graphene nanoplatelet hybrid sheets , 2012 .

[32]  V. Shanov,et al.  Introduction to carbon nanotube and nanofiber smart materials , 2006 .

[33]  C. Levy,et al.  Multiwalled carbon nanotube film for strain sensing , 2008, Nanotechnology.

[34]  Shen-Ming Chen,et al.  Highly sensitive amperometric sensor for carbamazepine determination based on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide–single-walled carbon nanotube composite film , 2012 .

[35]  Qiang Zhang,et al.  A Three‐Dimensional Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Sandwich and Its Application as Electrode in Supercapacitors , 2010, Advanced materials.

[36]  Seung Jin Chae,et al.  Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid‐Based Transparent 2D Optical Array , 2011, Advanced materials.