Tetsuo Yasuoka/Yoshinobu Shimamura/Akira Todoroki
International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sicences, vol. 14, no. 2, pp.146-151, 2013

Abstract : Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are electrically conductive. When CNFs are used as fillers in resin, this electrical conductivity can be yielded without adversely affecting the mechanical properties of the resin. When an elastomer is adopted as the resin, a conductive elastomer can then be produced. Due to its flexibility and conductive properties, a large strain sensor based on changes in resistivity may be produced, for strain sensing in flexible structures. In this study, a patch-type large strain sensor using resistivity change in a CNF/elastomer composite was proposed. The measurement limits of the sensor were investigated experimentally, and the limit was found to be 40%, which greatly exceeded the limits of conventional metal-foiled strain gages. Also, the proposed CNF/elastomer large strain sensor can be used to measure flexible materials, while conventional strain gages cannot be used to measure such strain

Keyword : nanocomposite, carbon nanofiber, strain sensing, elastomer