Transparent, stretchable, carbon-nanotube-inlaid conductors enabled by standard replication technology for capacitive pressure, strain and touch sensors

This paper describes a standard replication approach for preparing transparent elastomeric conductors with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) inlaid just below the surface. The elastic conductors were fabricated by spray coating a SWCNT suspension in chloroform on a fluorinated substrate, followed by the standard replication, casting liquid elastomers like polydimethylsiloxane on the SWCNT film, curing and peeling off the substrate. The replication strategy can produce elastic conductors with a flat or a desirable patterned surface. The resultant elastic conductors had excellent stability under repeated mechanical loading and stretchability up to 300%. It retained conductance even after 10 tape tests. Using the SWCNT-inlaid stretchable conductors as electrodes, elastic capacitors were fabricated using a mask-assisted method. The results showed that these capacitors are good candidates for multi-functional capacitive pressure, strain, and touch sensors.