A study of the interactions of carbon based fillers in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber matrix for high deformation sensor applications
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites
Abstract
A strain sensor was prepared by reinforcing acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)-5 parts per hundred of rubber (phr)
carbon black (CBH) separately with small concentration (∼0.1phr) of reduced graphene oxide (GL), multi-walled, and
carbon nanotube (NTL) via a combination of conventional solution and solid processing techniques. The interactions and
the electronic properties among carbon based fillers NT, CB, G and their synergy effects (NBR-CBH-GL and NBR-CBH-NTL)
were investigated by using density functional theory (DFT) modeling approach. The DFT predictions were in correspondence
with the experimental results. The optimum design (NBR-CBH-GL) was found to show high curing, mechanical and improved
electrical properties. On account of strain sensing performance, NBR-CBH-GL exhibited high gauge factor (GF) ∼105 at 0–
40% strain, which was over 900% than NBR-CBH (GF ∼104 at 0–30% strain) and the highest reported so far. This was
explained by the breaking of CB networks caused by tight NBR-G structures on straining, leading to high electrical resistance.
The NBR-CBH-GL also demonstrated high stability and repeatability in the cyclic loading. In terms of applications, NBR-CBH GL exhibited high capability for vibration detections and wearable sensing, especially for detection of human bodily motions
like speeches, facial deformations, bending, and relaxation of the fingers.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Sensor, carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon black