Rapid Electromechanical
Transduction on a Single-Walled
Carbon Nanotube Film: Sensing Fast Mechanical Loading via Detection
of Electrical Signal Change
posted on 2012-11-14, 00:00authored byWonjoon Choi, Jinkee Hong
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely explored as
next generation
embedded-strain-pressure sensors. However, most investigations of
CNT sensors did not consider the response time as a critical factor,
although the ultrafast sensing of mechanical deformation is very important
for the detection of dynamic loading or impact, such as in reactive
armor systems. Owing to the low capacitance that shortens the response
time of the electrical resistance changes induced by mechanical deformation,
CNTs are expected to detect rapid electromechanical transduction without
delay. Herein, we fabricate single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films
on diverse substrates, and evaluate their applications as sensors
to detect rapid electromechanical transduction on a macroscopic scale.
Under repetitive, high-speed mechanical loading, the SWNT films generate
consistent electrical signal changes, which are accurately synchronized
with their strain and the beginning of the deformation.