Effect of compressive and tensile strains on the electrical resistivity of carbon microcoil/silicone-rubber composites

摘要

Spring-shaped carbon microcoils (CMCs) were embedded in silicone-rubber to form CMC/silicone-rubber composites. The electrical and mechanical properties of the composites were examined and compared with those of the composites involving straight carbon nano-fibers and carbon blacks as a conductor. The electrical resistivity of the CMC/silicone-rubber composites decreased dramatically by increasing the CMC content and was as low as 100 OMEGA cm at 10 percent CMC volume content. With a compressive or tensile strain, the resistivity increased sharply much more than that of the other composites. The high resistive sensitivity of the composites is ascribed to an easy-to-deform configuration of the CMCs in the composites under an applied stress.