Synthesis and Pressure Sensing Properties of Pristine Zinc Oxide Nanopowder and its Blend with Carbon Nanotubes

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowder of size 50±10 nm has been synthesized using low temperature synthesis technique. The ZnO and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were mixed in equal amounts. Both types of powders (ZnO and ZnO-CNTs) were tested to measure the effect of pressure using a specially designed transducer. Upon rising pressure from zero to 8.15 kN/m2, the change in impedance was found 35% and 17% and change in capacitance was 41% and 10% while the change in impedance was 36% and 38%, respectively for ZnO and ZnOCNTs nanopowders. The observed changes in the electrical parameters may be regarded as the sample’s densification and porosity reduction due to pressure. With respect to ZnO-CNTs the ZnO shows higher change in resistance; that can be credited to displacement currents. Keywords: Capacitance, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), impedance, pressure sensing, transducer, zinc oxide nanopowder.