Electrical characterization of deformation behavior of carbon-based conductive filled nanocomposites under constant amplitude fatigue loading

Abstract

Elastomer-based nanocomposites(EcNs) were prepared with a novel mixing method to determine the deformation properties under constant amplitude dynamic operating conditions. The fillers of EcNs consists of functionalized(M-FCNTs) and nonfunctionalized carbon-nanotubes(M-NCNTs), graphite(GF) and carbon black(CB). In this study, six different mixtures were prepared using M-FCNT, and M-NCNT fillers in 1, 2, 3 phr ratios, except for a CB-filled reference mixture(C00). Graphite, which has exfoliation and excellent lubricating properties1, was added to six mixtures at the rate of 1 phr to prevent agglomeration of M-CNTs in the mixtures. SEM images show that M-CNTs are homogeneously distributed, interacting strongly with GF, and M-FCNTs have a better interface interaction than M-NCNTs. During crosslinking of M-NCNT filled EcNs, due to the resistance in the direction of the polymer chain's movement, the difference between minimum torque and maximum torque increased by approximately 10% compared to M-FCNTs. The lost energy (ΔW) between the loading and unloading curves of M-NCNT filled EcNs increased compared to the M-FCNT filled mixtures and C00. The resistance properties depending on the samples' strain value showed a more stable and repetitive behavior in M-FCNT filled EcNs with a ratio of 1 and 2 phr, called F-C01 and F-C02, respectively. The semiconductor F-C01 sample showed the most stable behavior due to preserving the conductive filler network's structural order during the fatigue test, although the average resistance change was highest with 1.51E + 07 Ω. We discuss ways to use conductive elastomer composites as an effective deformation detection sensor in dynamic applications based on the results.