Highly stretchable dielectric nanocomposites based on single-walled carbon nanotube/ionic liquid gels

Kiwon Oh, Jang Yeol Lee, Sang Soo Lee, Min Park, Daeheum Kim, Heesuk Kim

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    42 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We fabricated a highly stretchable dielectric composite using ionic liquid-based single-walled carbon nanotube gel (IL-SWCNT) as a dielectric filler and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an elastomer matrix. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the SWCNTs were highly exfoliated and dispersed in the polymer matrix due to the addition of the ionic liquid (IL). The dielectric constant at 100. Hz of the IL-SWCNT/PDMS composite containing 1.6. wt% SWCNTs was twice that of the SWCNT/PDMS composite without IL, and the dielectric loss was one fifth that of the SWCNT/PDMS composite. In addition, the elastic modulus of the IL-SWCNT/PDMS composite was significantly lower (0.36. MPa at a strain of 20%) and the strain at break was higher (350%) compared to the corresponding values of the SWCNT/PDMS composites due to the plasticizer effects of the IL. These results provide the first feasibility study of the use of IL as both an exfoliation agent and a plasticizer in an effort to simultaneously improve the dielectric and mechanical properties of CNT-filled dielectric elastomers.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)40-46
    Number of pages7
    JournalComposites Science and Technology
    Volume83
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013 Jun 28

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    This research was supported by KIST internal project. The work was also partially supported by the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) and the metropolitan economic region base institution support program of MKE [Sensibility touch platform development and new industrialization support program – Development of multi-touch sensor development with 10% more tactile and three-step more texture representation]. The present research was conducted under a research grant from the Kwangwoon University, provided in 2011.

    Keywords

    • A. Carbon nanotubes
    • A. Flexible composites
    • A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
    • B. Electrical properties
    • B. Mechanical properties

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Ceramics and Composites
    • General Engineering

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