Sakaerwan Piwsoi creator Bora, Tanujjal Chairperson Ricco, Raffaele Examination Committee Sasitorn Srisawadi Examination Committee Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited, Thailand Scholarship Donor AIT Scholarships Scholarship Donor text series technical report th Pathum Thani Asian Institute of Technology 2023 continuing eng

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87 leaves : ill.+ 1 online resource Electrically conducting and flexible materials have received tremendous interest recently in many areas, such as intelligent robots, lightweight mobile electronics, biomedical applications, and wearable devices, as they can provide new device functionalities and reduce application complexities. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a biocompatible and flexible material suitable for such flexible applications. However, PDMS is electrically insulating in nature. Thus, the goal of this research is to increase the electrical conductivity of PDMS by incorporating multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the PDMS matrix. Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were added into the mixture as a dispersing agent to improve the dispersion of the CNTs in PDMS enhancing the electrical properties of the nanocomposite. In addition, four silane coupling agents, namely (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), phenyltrimethox ysilane, n-Propyltriethoxy-silane, and triethoxy(octyl)silane, were utilized to functionalize the surface of cellulose nanofibers, which enhance the compatibility of hydrophilic CNF with the hydrophobic PDMS polymer matrix. CNFs and silane modified CNFs were mixed at different quantities in the PDMS/MWCNT composite and flexible PDMS/CNF/CNT films were prepared. The developed PDMS/CNF/CNT and PDMS/modified-CNF/CNT nanocomposite films were characterized for their electrical, mechanical, chemical, morphological, and surface-wetting properties. Their electrical and mechanical stability against pH level was also studied during the research. Moreover, a relationship between the electric conductance and mechanical strain of the PDMS/CNF/CNT and PDMS/modified-CNFs/CNT nanocomposite was established to determine the mechanoelectrical properties of the nanocomposite. Overall, the results indicated that silane modified CNF has better dispersibility in the PDMS matrix and it also improves the dispersion of MWCNT in PDMS improving the electrical conductance of the PDMS/modified-CNFs/CNT nanocomposite films. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Bio-Nano Material Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology Thesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023 Polydimethylsiloxane Cellulose Nanostructured materials Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B21823 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B21823 250120 20260818173904.0