Efficient construction and online evaluation of conductive networks within polydimethylsiloxane composites via continuous SCFNA method. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Du, Yu; Zhang, Qi; Huang, Yao; Xu, Hong; Bai, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Xiaowen; Zhang, Hao; Wu, Daming; Sun, Jingyao
• Is Part Of: Composites communications. Volume 24(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Conductive networks -- Continuous SCFNA -- Online evaluation -- Self-designed equipment
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coco.2021.100673
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2452-2139

Abstract

Abstract: Although conductive polymer composites present great potential in flexible sensor, energy storage, and other applications, the efficient construction and simultaneous evaluation of conductive networks within them still face big difficulties. In this paper, an extrusion equipment with gradually narrowed flow channel was designed for continuous preparation of conductive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites via spatial confining forced network assembly (SCFNA) method. By changing processing parameters, the dispersion and aggregation status of short carbon fibers (SCFs) can finally reach a stable state and form conductive networks with different qualities. Besides, we furtherly developed an online monitoring and detection method via image analysis technique to evaluate the completion degree of these conductive networks. The combination of self-designed equipment and image analysis technique could realize real continuous preparation and quality evaluation of conductive polymer composites. Moreover, this combination is also conducive to the study on the mechanism of conductive network evaluation under external forces. Highlights: An extrusion equipment with gradually narrowed flow channel was designed for continuous SCFNA method. Image analysis technique for online monitoring and detection was applied for quality evaluation of conductive networks. The realization of real continuous preparation and quality evaluation of conductive polymer composites. Provide a new method to investigate the evaluation mechanism of conductive network under external forces.