Stretchable nanocomposite electrodes with tunable mechanical properties by supersonic cluster beam implantation in elastomers

Journal Article · Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916350· OSTI ID:22398768

Borghi, F.; Podestà, A.; Melis, C.; Colombo, L. ^[1]; Ghisleri, C.; Ravagnan, L. ^[2]

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1. Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, I-09042 Monserrato (Italy)
2. WISE srl, Piazza Duse 2, 20122 Milano (Italy)

We demonstrate the fabrication of gold-polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite electrodes, by supersonic cluster beam implantation, with tunable Young's modulus depending solely on the amount of metal clusters implanted in the elastomeric matrix. We show both experimentally and by atomistic simulations that the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite can be maintained close to that of the bare elastomer for significant metal volume concentrations. Moreover, the elastic properties of the nanocomposite, as experimentally characterized by nanoindentation and modeled with molecular dynamics simulations, are also well described by the Guth-Gold classical model for nanoparticle-filled rubbers, which depends on the presence, concentration, and aspect ratio of metal nanoparticles, and not on the physical and chemical modification of the polymeric matrix due to the embedding process. The elastic properties of the nanocomposite can therefore be determined and engineered a priori, by controlling only the nanoparticle concentration.

• OSTI ID: 22398768
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ASPECT RATIO
CLUSTER BEAMS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ELASTICITY
ELASTOMERS
ELECTRODES
FABRICATION
GOLD
MATRIX MATERIALS
MODIFICATIONS
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
NANOCOMPOSITES
NANOPARTICLES
RUBBERS
YOUNG MODULUS