Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors
A photocurable resin/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite was fabricated from aligned CNTs in an acrylic matrix. The conductivity of the nanocomposite increased rapidly and then stabilized when the CNT content was increased up to and beyond the percolation threshold. Various structures were created u...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/24/4706 |
| _version_ | 1797379562642866176 |
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| author | Jia-Wun Li Ho-Fu Chen Peng-Han Huang Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo Chih-Chia Cheng Chih-Wei Chiu |
| author_facet | Jia-Wun Li Ho-Fu Chen Peng-Han Huang Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo Chih-Chia Cheng Chih-Wei Chiu |
| author_sort | Jia-Wun Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A photocurable resin/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite was fabricated from aligned CNTs in an acrylic matrix. The conductivity of the nanocomposite increased rapidly and then stabilized when the CNT content was increased up to and beyond the percolation threshold. Various structures were created using a digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer. Various polymeric dispersants (SMA-amide) were designed and synthesized to improve the CNT dispersion and prevent aggregation. The benzene rings and lone electron pairs on the dispersant interacted with aromatic groups on the CNTs, causing the former to wrap around the latter. This created steric hindrance, thereby stabilizing and dispersing the CNTs in the solvent. CNT/polymer nanocomposites were created by combining the dispersant, CNTs, and a photocurable resin. The CNT content of the nanocomposite and the 3D printing parameters were tuned to optimize the conductivity and printing quality. A touch-based human interface device (HID) that utilizes the intrinsic conductivity of the nanocomposite and reliably detects touch signals was fabricated, enabling the free design of sensors of various styles and shapes using a low-cost 3D printer. The production of sensors without complex circuitry was achieved, enabling novel innovations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:25:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6399a7bcd4cd4678aec9f45dce4452d5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:25:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-6399a7bcd4cd4678aec9f45dce4452d52023-12-22T14:36:46ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-12-011524470610.3390/polym15244706Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure SensorsJia-Wun Li0Ho-Fu Chen1Peng-Han Huang2Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo3Chih-Chia Cheng4Chih-Wei Chiu5Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, TaiwanA photocurable resin/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite was fabricated from aligned CNTs in an acrylic matrix. The conductivity of the nanocomposite increased rapidly and then stabilized when the CNT content was increased up to and beyond the percolation threshold. Various structures were created using a digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer. Various polymeric dispersants (SMA-amide) were designed and synthesized to improve the CNT dispersion and prevent aggregation. The benzene rings and lone electron pairs on the dispersant interacted with aromatic groups on the CNTs, causing the former to wrap around the latter. This created steric hindrance, thereby stabilizing and dispersing the CNTs in the solvent. CNT/polymer nanocomposites were created by combining the dispersant, CNTs, and a photocurable resin. The CNT content of the nanocomposite and the 3D printing parameters were tuned to optimize the conductivity and printing quality. A touch-based human interface device (HID) that utilizes the intrinsic conductivity of the nanocomposite and reliably detects touch signals was fabricated, enabling the free design of sensors of various styles and shapes using a low-cost 3D printer. The production of sensors without complex circuitry was achieved, enabling novel innovations.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/24/47063D printingphotocuringcarbon nanotubessensing elementcapacitive pressure sensor |
| spellingShingle | Jia-Wun Li Ho-Fu Chen Peng-Han Huang Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo Chih-Chia Cheng Chih-Wei Chiu Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors Polymers 3D printing photocuring carbon nanotubes sensing element capacitive pressure sensor |
| title | Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors |
| title_full | Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors |
| title_fullStr | Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors |
| title_short | Photocurable Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Nanocomposite for the 3D Printing of Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensors |
| title_sort | photocurable carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposite for the 3d printing of flexible capacitive pressure sensors |
| topic | 3D printing photocuring carbon nanotubes sensing element capacitive pressure sensor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/24/4706 |
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