Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-polymer composites have drawn much attention because of their outstanding electrical, mechanical properties. These make them an attractive candidate as pressure, vibration and tactile sensors. Studies currently focus on composites loaded with dispersed tubes and equivalent circuit consists of tube resistors connected in series and parallel (Rtotal = Rn + 1/Rn). In this case, sensing is isotropic and resistance change is independent of stressing direction. Vertical aligned CNTs exhibit a collective buckling upon compression and return to their original length in a fully elastic way, similar to a spring. In addition vertical aligned CNTs can be grown in array textures and also form composites with polymer. In this work, vertically aligned CNTs are made by pyrolysis and combine with PDMS to form composites with anisotropic sensing character. As shown by experiments, CNTs remain aligned in polymer and Rn governed sensitivity is observed.