Characterization of Contact and Bulk Piezoresistive Properties of Carbon Nanotube/Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Composite

Carbon nanotube (CNT) filled polymer nanocomposites are increasingly regarded as a realistic alternative to conventional smart materials. In this paper, we studied the contact and bulk piezoresistive properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube/styrene butadiene styrene (MWNT/SBS) composite. Measurements of resistance change under pressure utilizing an Au plate PCB electrode and a sputtered Au layer electrode for same samples were implemented to examine bulk piezoresistivity of the composites and the influence of contact resistance. The results showed that the contact resistance responses to stress for separated electrodes are more remarkable than bulk resistance responses in the MWNT/SBS composite films, but not so stable.