A temperature compensation method is proposed for CNT-composite strain sensors. CNT-composite sensors are fabricated on an elastic polymer substrate having known thermo-mechanical properties to introduce thermo-mechanical strain and further calibration of the sensor. Strain is induced on the sensor by bending the substrate as a cantilever configuration. Response of the sensor is measured using a bridge circuit method. Induced strain in the beam is determined using beam theory. The sensors are characterized for different CNT concentrations and at various temperatures. A model based temperature compensation scheme is proposed and verified experimentally. The result proves the ability of CNT-nanocomposite strain sensors to be used under varying temperature applications. A method is proposed to determine the strain and temperature simultaneously. The CNT sensors are simple to fabricate in complex patterns with excellent repeatability and do not require bonding layer.

Date Published: 27 March 2015
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 9436, Smart Sensor Phenomena, Technology, Networks, and Systems Integration 2015, 94360M (27 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2175489

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9436:
Smart Sensor Phenomena, Technology, Networks, and Systems Integration 2015
Kara J. Peters, Editor(s)