A conductive elastomer is a form of

elastomer An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and Elasticity (physics), elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young's modulus and high Deformation (mechanics), failure strain compared with other mate ...

, often

natural rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Thailand, Malaysia, and ...

or other rubber substitute, that is manufactured to conduct electricity. This is commonly accomplished by distributing

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon ma ...

or other conductive particles throughout the raw material prior to setting it. Carbon black and silica are common additives to induce conductivity in elastomers. Silica has been studied more so than other additives due to its low cost however, its conductance is also lower. These additives can not only enable conductance but can increase the mechanical properties of the elastomer. Conductive elastomers are often pressure-sensitive, with their conductivity varying with the amount of pressure put on it, and can be used to make

pressure sensor A pressure sensor is a device for pressure measurement of gases or liquids. Pressure is an expression of the force required to stop a fluid from expanding, and is usually stated in terms of force per unit area. A pressure sensor usually ...

s. Other uses of conductive elastomers include conductive flexible seals and gaskets, and conductive mats used to prevent electrostatic damage to electronic devices. These elastomers also have uses in the energy industry, where they could be used to make flexible solar cells or stretchable devices for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. Making solar cells and various sensors able to stretch and bend would allow them to be incorporated into wearable electronics. Recently, there has also been focus on preparation of elastomers that do not lose conductivity upon stretching. A novel approach for the design of an elastomer that actually increases conductivity with strain has recently been published Highly stretchable conductive MWCNT–PDMS composite with self-enhanced conductivity https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/tc/d0tc01735c/unauth#!divAbstract

References

Elastomers Composite materials {{electronics-stub

See also

References