Towards New Piezoresistive Sensors: Thermal, Mechanical and Electrical Investigation of a PDMS-Carbon Black Nanocomposite

The paper deals with the investigation of nanocomposites based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), as insulating polymeric matrix, and carbon black (CB), as the conducting filler. As described in the framework of the percolation theory, if a suitable concentration of the CB is used, it is possible changing the electrical properties of the composite from insulating to conducting. Since a deformation of the composite causes a change in the concentration of the filler, it is possible using the described nanocomposites as piezoresistive elements. Nanocomposites were realized by using different concentrations of the filler, in order to obtain a reasonable value of the composite resistivity. The corresponding thermal, mechanical and electrical properties where, therefore, investigated in typical laboratory conditions