A self-assembly method is developed for creating a thin shell of multiwall carbon nanotubes on aramid fibers. The fibers show resistive behavior and exhibit a gauge factor of approximately 1.6, which is competitive with existing foil strain gauges. The robust sensing package could be used in the development of embedded strain sensors in multifunctional composites.
BarberAHZhaoQWagnerHD. (2004) Characterization of E-glass–polypropylene interfaces using carbon nanotubes as strain sensors. Composites Science and Technology64: 1915–1919.
BrownJChappellPMathysZ (1991) Plasma surface modification of advanced organic fibres. Journal of Materials Science26: 4172–4178.
4.
BurghardMKrsticVDuesbergGS. (1999) Carbon SWNTs as wires and structural templates between nanoelectrodes. Synthetic Metals103: 2540–2542.
5.
ChatziEGTidrickSLKoenigJL (1988) Characterization of the surface hydrolysis of kevlar-49 fibers by diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics26: 1585–1593.
6.
DharapPLiZNagarajaiahS. (2004) Nanotube film based on single-wall carbon nanotubes for strain sensing. Nanotechnology15: 379.
7.
DuPont Corporation (2011) Kevlar Technical Guide. Wilmington, DE: DuPont Corporation.
GaoSMäderEPlonkaR (2008) Nanocomposite coatings for healing surface defects of glass fibers and improving interfacial adhesion. Composites Science and Technology68: 2892–2901.
10.
GaoSZhuangRZhangJ. (2010) Glass fibers with carbon nanotube networks as multifunctional sensors. Advanced Functional Materials20: 1885–1893.
11.
HuNKarubeYAraiM. (2010) Investigation on sensitivity of a polymer/carbon nanotube composite strain sensor. Carbon48: 680–687.
JeongWKesslerMR (2008) Toughness enhancement in ROMP functionalized carbon nanotube/polydicyclopentadiene composites. Chemistry of Materials20: 7060–7068.
14.
JonesRGaleaS (2002) Health monitoring of composite repairs and joints using optical fibres. Composite Structures58: 397–403.
15.
KangIHeungYYKimJH. (2006a) Introduction to carbon nanotube and nanofiber smart materials. Composites Part B: Engineering37: 382–394.
16.
KangISchulzMJKimJH. (2006b) A carbon nanotube strain sensor for structural health monitoring. Smart Materials and Structures15: 737.
17.
KordásKMustonenTTóthG. (2006) Inkjet printing of electrically conductive patterns of carbon nanotubes. Small2: 1021–1025.
18.
LiCThostensonETChouT (2008) Sensors and actuators based on carbon nanotubes and their composites: a review. Composites Science and Technology68: 1227–1249.
19.
LinJ (2002) Effect of surface modification by bromination and metalation on Kevlar fibre-epoxy adhesion. European Polymer Journal38: 79–86.
20.
LiuTZhengYHuJ (2010) Surface modification of Aramid fibers with new chemical method for improving interfacial bonding strength with epoxy resin. Journal of Applied Polymer Science118: 2541–2552.
21.
MaschmannMRDickinsonBTEhlertGJ (2012) Force sensitive carbon nanotube arrays for biologically-inspired airflow sensing. Smart Materials and Structures21: 094024.
22.
SainsburyTFitzmauriceD (2004) Carbon-nanotube-templated and pseudorotaxane-formation-driven gold nanowire self-assembly. Chemistry of Materials16: 2174–2179.
TakayanagiMKajiyamaTKatayoseT (1982) Surface-modified kevlar fiber-reinforced polyethylene and ionomer. Journal of Applied Polymer Science27: 3903–3917.
27.
WuSRSheuGSShyuSS (1996) Kevlar fiber-epoxy adhesion and its effect on composite mechanical and fracture properties by plasma and chemical treatment. Journal of Applied Polymer Science62: 1347–1360.
28.
WuYTesoroGC (1986) Chemical modification of Kevlar fiber surfaces and of model diamides. Journal of Applied Polymer Science31: 1041–1059.
29.
YangXZhouZYZhengFZ. (2009) A high sensitivity single-walled carbon-nanotube-array-based strain sensor for weighing. In: TRANSDUCERS 2009. International, solid-state sensors, actuators and microsystems conference, Denver, CO, 21–25 June, pp. 1493–1496.
30.
ZhangJZhuangRLiuJ. (2010) Functional interphases with multi-walled carbon nanotubes in glass fibre/epoxy composites. Carbon48: 2273–2281.