Design of a Smart Conducting Nanocomposite with an Extended Strain Sensing Range by Conjugating Hybrid Structures

In recent years, flexible and wearable strain sensors, consisting of a polymer matrix and a conducting filler, have received extensive attention owing to their physical advantages, such as being lightweight, stretchable, and having the potential for application to complex forms. However, achieving a low hysteresis of the relative change in resistance, wide sensing range, and reduced plastic deformation is still challenging. To address these issues, in this study, we developed hybrid conducting composites with a wide range of sensing abilities and low hysteresis. The bi-layer composites, comprising a carbon nanotube (CNT) composite layer with reinforced/conducting properties, and a natural rubber-based layer with extreme strain properties, could effectively circumvent their limitations. Compared to single-layer CNT composites, the bi-layer structure could increase the tensile strain with reduced plastic deformation, resulting in the prevention of surface cracks on the CNT composite. In addition, it has the benefit of measuring a wider sensing range, which cannot be measured in a single-CNT composite system. A cyclic stretching/releasing test was performed to demonstrate that the strain sensor exhibited excellent reproducibility. Our results can function as a useful design guide for stretchable sensor applications.