Carbon fiber doped thermosetting elastomer for flexible sensors: physical properties and microfabrication.

We have developed conductive microstructures using micropatternable and conductive hybrid nanocomposite polymer. In this method carbon fibers (CFs) were blended into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Electrical conductivities of different compositions were investigated with various fiber lengths (50-250 µm), and weight percentages (wt%) (10-60 wt%). Sample composites of 2 cm × 1 cm × 500 µm were fabricated for 4-point probe conductivity measurements. The measured percolation thresholds varied with length of the fibers: 50 wt% (307.7 S/m) for 50 µm, 40 wt% (851.1 S/m) for 150 µm, and 30 wt% (769.23 S/m) for 250 µm fibers. The conductive composites showed higher elastic modulus when compared to that of PDMS.