Temperature Detectable Surface Coating with Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy Composites

Abstract

In the machinery and construction industry, heat is a major factor causing damage and destruction. The safety and efficiency of most machines and structures are greatly affected by temperature, and temperature management and control are essential. In this study, a carbon nanotube (CNT) based temperature sensing coating that can be applied to machines and structures having various structural types were fabricated, and characteristics analysis and temperature sensing performance were evaluated. The temperature sensing coatings is composed of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and epoxy. Structural and electrical properties of CNT/epoxy coatings were analyzed through electron microscopy, and temperature sensing performance was evaluated according to the temperature change. As a result of the experiment, the CNT/epoxy coatings showed higher electrical conductivity as the CNT concentration increased. In addition, CNT/epoxy coatings exhibit high sensitivity in high and freezing temperature ranges. Therefore, the proposed CNT/epoxy coatings are promising for use as a material for high and freezing temperature sensing. © 2022 Lee et al.