Stretchable Elastomer Electrode Sheet

Vertically-aligned CNT films cannot be directly grown on a polymer film or sheet, because any polymer has a melting point that is much lower than the CNT growth temperature. However, VACNT film grown on an inorganic substrate can be transferred to a polymer film by applying a thermal transfer method.

After the transfer process, the top end of each VACNT on the organic substrate is caught strongly by the polymer film due to a plastic strain, and the bottom end of each VACNT on the organic substrate is easily detached from the substrate. As a result, the vertically-aligned structure of the CNTs transferred on a polymer film is still maintained.

In the case of transferred CNT on a rubber sheet, each CNT is strongly stuck individually in the rubber sheet, so that the VACNT film will not be broken and the conductivity is still maintained even if rubber sheet is stretched. This can be used as a stretchable electrode, which can be applied in the fields of wearable devices, robots, healthcare, artificial muscle, and elastomer actuators.