ELASTIC CONDUCTOR

• US 20110278040A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yingying, Jia, Quanxi
• Application Number:
  US12/779,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20110278040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/69
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/086 and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/14 oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/685 by laminating inserts between two plastic films or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/882 partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/165 Hollow fillers, e.g. microballoons or expanded particles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0005 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0046 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3061 Number plates

Abstract

Elastic conductors made of ribbons of aligned carbon nanotubes embedded in a matrix of poly(dimethylsiloxane) exhibit a stabilized resistance after several cycles of stretching and releasing. The elastic conductors were prepared by drawing a ribbon of carbon nanotubes from an aligned array of carbon nanotubes and positioning on cured poly(dimethylsiloxane). After providing each end of the ribbon with an electrode, a film of uncured poly(dimethylsiloxane) was cast on the ribbon and electrodes. After curing the film an elastic conductor was produced. The electrical resistance of this elastic conductor became stable after a few cycles of stretching and releasing to strains up to 100%.

Claims

1. An elastic conductor comprising:

a matrix of poly(dimethylsiloxane),

a ribbon of aligned carbon nanotubes embedded in said matrix of poly(dimethylsiloxane), the ribbon having a first end and a second end,

a first electrode at said first end of said ribbon, and

a second electrode at said second end of said ribbon.

2. The elastic conductor of claim 1, wherein said elastic conductor is subjected to cycles of stretching and relaxing until the elastic conductor has a stable electrical resistance.

3. A method for preparing an elastic conductor, comprising:

drawing a ribbon of aligned carbon nanotubes from a supported array of aligned carbon nanotubes,

positioning the ribbon of carbon nanotubes on cured poly(dimethylsiloxane), the ribbon having a first end and a second end,

forming a first electrode at the first end of the ribbon,

forming a second electrode at the second end of the ribbon,

casting a film of uncured poly(dimethylsiloxane) on the ribbon and cured poly(dimethylsiloxane) whereby alignment of the carbon nanotubes is maintained, and curing the film.

4. The method for preparing an elastic conductor of claim 5, further comprising a step after the step of curing the film of:

subjecting the elastic conductor to cycles of stretching and relaxing along an axial direction of the ribbon until the film comprises a stable electrical resistance.

5. The method for preparing an elastic conductor of claim 3, wherein the step of casting further comprises casting the film of uncured poly(dimethylsiloxane) on the first electrode and on the second electrode.