Composite material used as a strain gauge
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a uniform composite elastomeric polymer foam including a plurality of conductive nanoparticles disposed therein, the uniform composite foam producing a piezoelectric voltage, without an external current producing device, in response to being deformed;
at least one probe disposed in the uniform composite foam; and
a voltage detector coupled to the probe.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one general aspect, an apparatus comprises a material including a non-layered mixture of an elastomeric polymer with a plurality of voids; and a plurality of conductive fillers disposed in the elastomeric polymer. The apparatus may produce an electrical response to deformation and, thus, function as a strain gauge. The conductive fillers may include conductive nanoparticles and/or conductive stabilizers. In another general aspect, a method of measuring compression strain includes detecting, along a first axis, an electrical response generated in response to an impact to a uniform composite material that includes conductive fillers and voids disposed throughout an elastomeric polymer, and determining a deformation of the impact based on the electrical response. The impact may be along a second axis different from the first axis.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a uniform composite elastomeric polymer foam including a plurality of conductive nanoparticles disposed therein, the uniform composite foam producing a piezoelectric voltage, without an external current producing device, in response to being deformed; at least one probe disposed in the uniform composite foam; and a voltage detector coupled to the probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of making a strain sensor, comprising:
mixing a plurality of conductive nanoparticles with an elastomeric polymer to form a uniform composite foam, the uniform composite foam producing a piezoelectric voltage, without an external current producing device, in response to deformation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
18. A method of making a strain sensor, comprising:
-
mixing a plurality of conductive fillers with an uncured elastomeric polymer; forming voids in the mixture of the conductive fillers and the uncured elastomeric polymer; and curing the mixture with the voids to form a uniform composite foam as the strain sensor, the uniform composite foam producing a piezoelectric voltage, without an external current producing device, in response to compression. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification