Investigation of liquid sensing mechanism of poly(lactic acid)/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite films

The liquid sensing mechanism of melt-processed poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composite films was investigated for the influence of MWNT loading, solubility parameters of solvents used, solvent transport behaviours, resultant electrical resistance changes, as well as crystallization of the PLA matrix. The diffusion, sorption and permeation coefficients of neat PLA and the composites were estimated, indicating that MWNT network structures block solvent molecules from penetrating into the polymer matrix. Solvent-induced crystallization of the polymer matrix was observed. Isothermally crystallized composites showed reduced resistances, a significant decrease of sorbed solvent content and a reduction of the resulting resistance changes on the solvent contact. In the context with sensing results on MWNT mats, it was proposed that the liquid sensing mechanism of PLA/MWNT composites consists of the overall electrical resistance changes caused by the structural variation of the conductive MWNT network in the polymer matrix and additional interactions between the MWNT and solvent molecules.