Piezoresistivity of silicone-rubber/carbon black composites excited by ac electrical field

Flexible conductive composites were prepared using liquid silicone rubber as a matrix and conductive carbon black (CCB) as a filler, and the filler loading was varied from 1 to 15 phr in mass ratio. The surface conductivity was studied as a function of CCB concentration (1, 5, 10, 15 wt %), frequency in the range from DC to 1 MHz. The AC resistivity of the composites with low CCB concentration was found to be frequency dependent, whereas the composites with high CCB concentration was almost frequency independent. The resistance/impedance drift of the composites with time decreases sharply with the increase of frequency of applied electrical field. The piezoresistivity of the composite with 5 wt % CCB concentration (the upper percolation limit) was studied. It is found that the composite exhibits prominent positive piezoresistivity coefficient effect through the measurement frequency, and the sensitivity becomes steeper with the increase of exciting frequency.