Strain sensing skin-like film using zinc oxide nanostructures grown on PDMS and reduced graphene oxide

Tejus Satish, Kaushik Balakrishnan, Hemtej Gullapalli, Satish Nagarajaiah, Robert Vajtai, Pulickel M. Ajayan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we present a strain-sensitive composite skin-like film made up of piezoresistive zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods embedded in a flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate, with added reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to facilitate connections between the nanorod clusters and increase strain sensitivity. Preparation of the composite is described in detail. Cyclic strain sensing tests are conducted. Experiments indicate that the resulting ZnO-PDMS/rGO composite film is strain-sensitive and thus capable of sensing cycling strain accurately. As such, it has the potential to be molded on to a structure (civil, mechanical, aerospace, or biological) in order to provide a strain sensing skin.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)107-113
Number of pages7
JournalStructural Monitoring and Maintenance
Volume4
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2017

Keywords

  • Flexible
  • Poly(dimethylsiloxane)
  • Reduced graphene oxide
  • Skin
  • Strain sensing
  • Zinc oxide

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering
  • Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

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