FLEXIBLE CNT-DECORATED PDMS FOAM ENABLE UNPRECEDENTED DETECTION OF ULTRALOW STRAIN AND PRESSURE COUPLED WITH LARGE WORKING RANGE

Realization and characterization of a low cost conductometric pressure and strain sensor with a porous polymeric material decorated with Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs, not being covered by the polymer, are anchored to the macroporous PDMS sponge surface and directly accessible, thus increasing sensitivity of electrical charge flow (current) with compressive strain. Realization and characterization of piezoresistive, flexible, three-dimensional (3D) macroporous PDMS (pPDMS) foams with pores of about 500 ?m, decorated with a complex network of pristine multiwalled CNTs (density of 25 mg/cm3 ), enabling reliable and simultaneous detection of ultrasmall strain (0.1%) and pressure (20 Pa) in compression mode, coupled with a large dynamic range (i.e., up to 60% for strai 6 mm displacement and 50 kPa for pressure).