Li Zida, Xue Xufeng, Lin Feng, Wang Yize, Ward Kevin, Fu Jianping
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Appl Phys Lett. 2017 Oct 23;111(17):173105. doi: 10.1063/1.5001754. Epub 2017 Oct 26.
Advances in stretchable electronics offer the possibility of developing skin-like motion sensors. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), owing to their superior electrical properties, have great potential for applications in such sensors. In this paper, we report a method for deposition and patterning of CNTs on soft, elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates using capillary action. Micropillar arrays were generated on PDMS surfaces before treatment with plasma to render them hydrophilic. Capillary force enabled by the micropillar array spreads CNT solution evenly on PDMS surfaces. Solvent evaporation leaves a uniform deposition and patterning of CNTs on PDMS surfaces. We studied the effect of the CNT concentration and micropillar gap size on CNT coating uniformity, film conductivity, and piezoresistivity. Leveraging the piezoresistivity of deposited CNT films, we further designed and characterized a device for the contraction force measurement. Our capillary assisted deposition method of CNT films showed great application potential in fabrication of flexible CNT thin films for strain sensing.
可拉伸电子学的进展为开发类似皮肤的运动传感器提供了可能性。碳纳米管（CNTs）由于其优异的电学性能，在这类传感器的应用中具有巨大潜力。在本文中，我们报告了一种利用毛细作用在柔软、弹性的聚二甲基硅氧烷（PDMS）基板上沉积和图案化碳纳米管的方法。在用等离子体处理使PDMS表面亲水化之前，先在其表面生成微柱阵列。微柱阵列产生的毛细力将碳纳米管溶液均匀地铺展在PDMS表面。溶剂蒸发后，碳纳米管在PDMS表面留下均匀的沉积和图案。我们研究了碳纳米管浓度和微柱间隙尺寸对碳纳米管涂层均匀性、薄膜电导率和压阻率的影响。利用沉积的碳纳米管薄膜的压阻特性，我们进一步设计并表征了一种用于测量收缩力的装置。我们的碳纳米管薄膜毛细辅助沉积方法在制造用于应变传感的柔性碳纳米管薄膜方面显示出巨大的应用潜力。
