Issue 30, 2018

Ultra-stretchable, sensitive and durable strain sensors based on polydopamine encapsulated carbon nanotubes/elastic bands

Abstract

High-performance flexible and wearable strain sensors for human motion detection have been widely investigated recently. Here, we report a flexible strain sensor with ultra-high stretchability, large sensitivity and excellent durability based on common elastic bands from every day life. The strain sensor was fabricated by embedding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into elastic bands (EB) through swelling-ultrasonication treatment. It is found that the CNTs with a large aspect ratio migrated into the inner regions of the EB successfully, generating a conductive CNT/EB shell with a thickness of about 30 μm. The CNT/EB bands were then coated with a polydopamine (PDA) layer by self-polymerization of dopamine to stabilize the sensitive regions. Interestingly, the specific strength and specific elongation of PDA/CNT/EB are enhanced by about 55% and 23% respectively after the coating of PDA, compared to the pure EB. Strain sensing tests indicated that our strain sensors had desirable integration of an ultra-high sensing range (920% strain), large sensitivity (a gauge factor (GF) of 129 under a strain of 780–920%), superior stability (10 000 cycles at 100% strain) and a fast response speed. Additionally, there was a direct correlation between the mechanical hysteresis HM value and the weak shoulder peak. The sensing mechanism of the strain sensors were investigated. Monitoring of human body motions (such as finger bending, muscle movements and knee-joint movements) indicates that our stretchable PDA/CNT/EB sensor has broad application prospects for human-machine interfaces in the artificial intelligence (AI) field.

Graphical abstract: Ultra-stretchable, sensitive and durable strain sensors based on polydopamine encapsulated carbon nanotubes/elastic bands

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Jūn. 2018
Accepted
10 Jūl. 2018
First published
10 Jūl. 2018

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 8160-8170

Ultra-stretchable, sensitive and durable strain sensors based on polydopamine encapsulated carbon nanotubes/elastic bands

Y. Wang, Y. Jia, Y. Zhou, Y. Wang, G. Zheng, K. Dai, C. Liu and C. Shen, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018, 6, 8160 DOI: 10.1039/C8TC02702A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements