Inherently\nConductive Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Elastomers\nSynergistically Mediated by Nanocellulose/Carbon Nanotube Nanohybrids\ntoward Highly Sensitive, Stretchable, and Durable Strain Sensors

Abstract

With\nthe rapid development of soft electronics, flexible and stretchable\nstrain sensors are highly desirable. However, coupling of high sensitivity\nand stretchability in a single strain sensor remains a challenge.\nHerein, a kind of conductive elastomer is constructed with poly­(dimethylsiloxane)\n(PDMS) and silylated cellulose nanocrystal (SCNC)/carbon nanotube\n(CNT) nanohybrids through a facile one-pot solution-casting method.\nThe hydrophobic SCNCs can effectively facilitate the dispersion of\nCNTs in PDMS and synergistically improve the interfacial compatibility\nbetween CNTs and the PDMS matrix, resulting in favorable stress and\nelectron transfer in the polymer network. Due to the outstanding electrical\nconductivity of CNTs and the excellent dispersity and high mechanical\nperformance of SCNCs, combined with the good compatibility between\nSCNC-mediated carbon nanotubes (SCNC-CNTs) and PDMS, the resulting\ncomposite elastomer (SCNC-CNT/PDMS) shows high electrical conductivity\n(∼2.77 S m^–1), tensile strength (∼5.72\nMPa), and fatigue resistance properties. The strain sensor assembled\nby SCNC-CNT/PDMS demonstrates a high strain range above 100%, appealing\nstrain sensitivity with a gauge factor of 37.11 at 50–100%\nstrain, and long-term stability and durability, which is capable of\nmonitoring both real-time human motions and acoustic vibrations. This\nwork paves a new way for the design and controllable preparation of\nflexible and stretchable conductive elastomers, demonstrating promising\napplications in wearable devices and intelligent electronics.