Modeling the resistive viscoelasticity of conductive polymer composites for sensor usage

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electronics Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Soft resistive sensors are crucial for wearable electronics and soft machines.
• Their resistance is time-dependent due to the viscoelastic nature of polymer binders and conductive pathways.
• Understanding this behavior is key to developing reliable soft sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the resistive viscoelastic behavior of printed silver wires.
• To develop a theoretical model for predicting resistance variations in conductive polymer composites (CPCs).
• To provide a method for calibrating soft resistive sensors.

Main Methods:

• Experimental characterization of printed silver wires under mechanical loading.
• Development of a multi-branch theoretical model based on tunneling theory.
• Model validation using experimental data under various strain and loading rates.

Main Results:

• The multi-branch model accurately predicts resistive relaxation in CPCs with a single set of parameters.
• The model successfully describes resistance responses under different strain levels and loading rates.
• The numerical model demonstrated efficacy under complex cyclic loading conditions.

Conclusions:

• A validated multi-branch model effectively captures the resistive viscoelasticity of printed silver wires.
• This model offers a new approach for calibrating soft resistive sensors, including strain sensors.
• The findings contribute to the advancement of printed electronics and soft sensor technology.