Flexible sensor based on polymer nanocomposites reinforced by carbon nanotube foam derivated from cotton

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) attract great interest in developing conducting polymer nanocomposites for various applications. This paper reported the preparation of CNT foam and corresponding nanocomposites using a monomer infusion process, aiming at eliminating the problems arising from the dispersion and possible re-agglomeration of nanofillers in a polymer matrix. Various techniques were employed to study the morphology and properties of the developed materials. The results showed that by using cotton as a template, CNTs were grown on the carbonized cotton fiber, forming foam-like hierarchical structures with excellent hydrophobic and absorption performance. The nanocomposites reinforced by CNT foam exhibited a satisfactory stability and reproducibility on piezoresistivity under the cyclic operations, and had the potential to be used as a sensor for measuring mechanical deformation in flexible electronics.