3D printed high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube and graphene nanoplatelet filled polymer composites

Dong  Xiang; Xuezhong   Zhang; Zhuohang   Han; Zixi  Zhang; Zuoxin   Zhou; Eileen Harkin-Jones; Jie  Zhang; Xia   Luo; Ping  Wang; Chunxia   Zhao; Yuntao  Li

doi:10.1007/s10853-020-05137-w

3D printed high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube and graphene nanoplatelet filled polymer composites

Dong Xiang, Xuezhong Zhang, Zhuohang Han, Zixi Zhang, Zuoxin Zhou, Eileen Harkin-Jones, Jie Zhang, Xia Luo, Ping Wang, Chunxia Zhao, Yuntao Li

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Abstract

In this study, high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) filled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites were fabricated via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The introduction of GNPs generated a more complete conductive network of the composites due to the improved nanofiller dispersion. Due to the synergy of CNTs and GNPs, the printed CNT/GNP(3:1)/TPU sensor shows higher sensitivity (GF = 136327.4 at 250% strain), larger detectable range (0–250% strain), and better stability (3000 cycles) compared with the CNT/TPU and GNP/TPU sensors with a nanofiller content of 2 wt%. Furthermore, the printed sensors can accurately
detect strains at different frequencies (0.01–1 Hz). A modelling study based on tunneling theory was conducted to analysis the strain sensing mechanism, and the theoretical results agreed well with the experimental data. The capability of the sensors in monitoring physiological activities and speech recognition has also been demonstrated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	15769-15786
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Materials Science
Volume	55
Issue number	33
Early online date	27 Aug 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05137-w
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 1 Nov 2020

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title = "3D printed high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube and graphene nanoplatelet filled polymer composites",

abstract = "In this study, high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) filled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites were fabricated via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The introduction of GNPs generated a more complete conductive network of the composites due to the improved nanofiller dispersion. Due to the synergy of CNTs and GNPs, the printed CNT/GNP(3:1)/TPU sensor shows higher sensitivity (GF = 136327.4 at 250% strain), larger detectable range (0–250% strain), and better stability (3000 cycles) compared with the CNT/TPU and GNP/TPU sensors with a nanofiller content of 2 wt%. Furthermore, the printed sensors can accuratelydetect strains at different frequencies (0.01–1 Hz). A modelling study based on tunneling theory was conducted to analysis the strain sensing mechanism, and the theoretical results agreed well with the experimental data. The capability of the sensors in monitoring physiological activities and speech recognition has also been demonstrated.",

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AU - Xiang, Dong

AU - Zhang, Xuezhong

AU - Han, Zhuohang

AU - Zhang, Zixi

AU - Zhou, Zuoxin

AU - Harkin-Jones, Eileen

AU - Zhang, Jie

AU - Luo, Xia

AU - Wang, Ping

AU - Zhao, Chunxia

AU - Li, Yuntao

PY - 2020/11/1

Y1 - 2020/11/1

N2 - In this study, high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) filled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites were fabricated via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The introduction of GNPs generated a more complete conductive network of the composites due to the improved nanofiller dispersion. Due to the synergy of CNTs and GNPs, the printed CNT/GNP(3:1)/TPU sensor shows higher sensitivity (GF = 136327.4 at 250% strain), larger detectable range (0–250% strain), and better stability (3000 cycles) compared with the CNT/TPU and GNP/TPU sensors with a nanofiller content of 2 wt%. Furthermore, the printed sensors can accuratelydetect strains at different frequencies (0.01–1 Hz). A modelling study based on tunneling theory was conducted to analysis the strain sensing mechanism, and the theoretical results agreed well with the experimental data. The capability of the sensors in monitoring physiological activities and speech recognition has also been demonstrated.

AB - In this study, high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) filled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites were fabricated via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The introduction of GNPs generated a more complete conductive network of the composites due to the improved nanofiller dispersion. Due to the synergy of CNTs and GNPs, the printed CNT/GNP(3:1)/TPU sensor shows higher sensitivity (GF = 136327.4 at 250% strain), larger detectable range (0–250% strain), and better stability (3000 cycles) compared with the CNT/TPU and GNP/TPU sensors with a nanofiller content of 2 wt%. Furthermore, the printed sensors can accuratelydetect strains at different frequencies (0.01–1 Hz). A modelling study based on tunneling theory was conducted to analysis the strain sensing mechanism, and the theoretical results agreed well with the experimental data. The capability of the sensors in monitoring physiological activities and speech recognition has also been demonstrated.

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DO - 10.1007/s10853-020-05137-w

M3 - Article

SN - 0022-2461

VL - 55

SP - 15769

EP - 15786

JO - Journal of Materials Science

JF - Journal of Materials Science

IS - 33

ER -

3D printed high-performance flexible strain sensors based on carbon nanotube and graphene nanoplatelet filled polymer composites

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