Fabrication of wearable pressure/temperature dual-sensor based on DMSO-doped PEDOT:PSS/carbon aerogel

Abstract

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is one of the promising conducting polymers which exhibit p-type thermoelectric property, having the various characteristics such as water solubility , flexibility, and commercial availability. In this paper, we fabricated thermoelectric nanocomposite aerogel, composed of PEDOT:PSS and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) via an easy and reproducible freeze-drying methods. MWCNT could be simply dispersed in PEDOT:PSS aqueous solution, due to the secondary interactions between them, for example, $\pi$-$\pi$ interaction and van der Waals interaction. At 140 $^\circ C$, epoxy group of glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GOPS), which was crosslinking agent, reacted with –OH groups and finally robust nanocomposite aerogels were successfully formed. These nanocomposite aerogels showed better electrical conductivity and thermoelectric effect than those of pristine aerogels due to embedding MWCNTs into PEDOT:PSS matrix. In addition, doping DMSO, the electrical conductivity of aerogel was enhanced. As an application of the fabricated aerogel, we also demonstrated highly sensitive pressure/temperature dual-sensor using DMSO-doped PEDOT:PSS/MWCNT aerogel.