Fostering the performance of MWCNT/PDMS-based pressure sensor by incorporating DPLF natural fibres

In this work, we explore the hybridization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-PDMS composite with natural doom palm leaf fibres (DPLF) to investigate the potential use of this novel material for pressure-sensing applications. To understand the properties of the resulting hybrid composite, we investigated the natural palm fibres by structural and thermal analysis. After that, thin flexible films formed with polymer composites containing different amounts of MWCNT and DPLF were fabricated using a simple and cost-effective solution mixing method followed by a stencil printing process. To understand the impact of the addition of the DPLF and MWCNT on the composite's performance we carried out electrical and electro-mechanical measurements under cyclic pressure. The results show that the addition of DPLF has a huge impact on the electrical behaviour of the composite, a significant resistance increase because of the very high resistance of the DPLF and their barrier role in the composite which hinders the formation of the conductive paths and leads to a notable change on the percolation threshold. The hybridization of the MWCNT-PDMS by DPLF improved the pressure sensing performance in the case of a high amount of DPLF of 10 wt. % and a low concentration of MWCNT at 0.3 wt. %. A high sensitivity of 871,1 Omega/N and good stability are achieved in the pressure range of 100 N. The results show the important role of DPLF to improve the sensing performance and to offer cost-effective and eco-friendly sensors useful fora variety of applications including, portable electronics, robotics, and healthcare devices.