High strain biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane-based conductive graphene and multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposite strain sensors

High performance strain sensors were achieved featuring simple, low-cost construction involving the screen printing of combinations of multi-walled carbon nanotube and graphene nano-platelet nanocomposites on biocompatible and flexible polymer substrates. Conductivity and thermal coefficients of resistance of different conductive nanocomposite sensor materials were measured. The zero current resistance and gauge factor of printed sensors was characterized. The combination of high strain operation (up to 40%), high gauge factor (GF > 100), and biocompatible construction pave the way for applications such as minimally invasive in vivo strain measurements. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.