Abstract
•We have successfully synthesis flexible sensors based on MWCNTs and SWCNTs.•2.Both sensors show good sensing properties at room temperature and the performance of the two sensors has been compared.•Dielectric physics and capillary condensation have been proposed for the sensing mechanism explanation.
Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were dispersed in the biopolymer kappa-carrageenan (KC) to form a flexible composite via evaporative casting method. The glycerin was used as plasticizer to increase the flexibility of the composite. The KC—CNTs was examined by using FESEM and Raman, and then the humidity sensing properties of the samples were characterized under alternating current (AC). The purpose for using AC power supply is to avoid the possible polarization effect during measurements of the humidity properties. The experimental data exhibit that the fabricated sensors have high response to relative humidity (RH) with good repeatability, stability, and low hysteresis. A phenomenon that the impedance of the sensor decreases with ascending RH was also found and the basic sensing mechanisms were discussed.