The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2009
George G. Chase, Wadsworth, OH (US);
Alexander Yarin, Willowbrook, IL (US);
Manish K. Tiwari, Zurich, CH;
Constantine M. Megaridis, Oak Park, IL (US);
George G. Chase, Wadsworth, OH (US);
Alexander Yarin, Willowbrook, IL (US);
Manish K. Tiwari, Zurich, CH;
Constantine M. Megaridis, Oak Park, IL (US);
The University of Akron, Akron, OH (US);
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to methods to provide electrospun polymer/nanoparticle composite-fiber structures for use as lightweight, compliant, porous strain sensors for non-cyclic strain sensing. In one embodiment, the fibers in the nanocomposites comprise, for example, poly(∈-caprolactone) (PCL) dielectric polymer matrix with embedded electrically conductive carbon black (CB) nanoparticles. In another embodiment, the composite-fiber structures of the present invention contain at least about 7 weight percent or more of CB and are electrically conducting in the as-spun, un-deformed state, and are thus called conductive polymer composites (CPC). In still another embodiment, the electrical resistance of a nanocomposite structure according to the invention increases with strain, and at sufficiently high strains the structure is rendered non-conductive.