Strain Gauge Sensor Comprised of Carbon Nanotube Yarn: Concept and Modeling

Abstract

Carbon nanotube yarns are micron-size fibers that contain thousands of intertwined carbon nanotubes in their cross sections and exhibit piezoresistance characteristics that can be tapped for sensing purposes. Sensor yarns can be integrated in polymeric and composite materials to measure strain through resistance measurements without adding weight or altering the integrity of the host material. This paper includes the details of novel strain gauge sensor configurations made of carbon nanotube yarn and the modeling of their piezoresistive response using parametric optimization schemes that maximize the sensor' sensitivity to mechanical loading. The effect of several sensor configuration parameters are discussed including the angle and separation of the carbon nanotube yarns within the sensor, and also the mechanical properties of the CNT yarns.

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“…Luo et al [20,21] modelled single-walled CNT into a 1D fibre with the potential application for mapping the stress/strain states of the embedded composite under different deformation modes such as tension, bending and compression. Abot et al [22,23] studied the piezo-impedance effect of a CNT yarn for strain sensing functionality. A behavioural study showed a parabolic negative piezoresistive response during most of the deformation phase and a linear positive piezoresistive response that preceded the failure of the CNT yarn.…”