Carbon Nanocoils and Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Films for Fiber-Optic Fabry–Perot Acoustic Sensors

Abstract

Carbon nanocoils (CNCs) are widely used in functional devices due to their helical morphology, which can be utilized in the fabrication of functional materials with unique properties. In this study, CNCs/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films were prepared using an electrostatic spinning method and used to form a diaphragm for Fabry–Perot acoustic sensors. With the addition of CNCs, the fabricated composite film showed enhanced mechanical performance responding to acoustic wave pressure. Considering the optical and mechanical response, the content of CNCs was set as 0.14 wt.%; the highest acoustic wave pressure response of the sensor was 1.89 V/Pa at 16.2 kHz, which was relatively higher than that of devices with pure polymer films. Additionally, the sensor had a broadband frequency response from 2 to 10 kHz. The results indicate that the proposed composite film acoustic sensor is suitable for low-frequency acoustic sensing, which lays the foundation for the extended application of functional sensors based on CNCs.

Microwave-Solvothermal Synthesis of Mesoporous CeO2/CNCs Nanocomposite for Enhanced Room Temperature NO2 Detection

“…Characterized by a unique helical structure amalgamating sp 2 grains and sp 3 amorphous structures [23], CNCs exhibit physical properties that set them apart from both CNTs and CNFs [24]. This spiral polycrystalline-amorphous nature renders CNCs highly advantageous for a spectrum of applications, including field-emission devices, electromagnetic wave absorbers, humidity sensors, and acoustic sensors [25][26][27][28]. Moreover, the helical architecture of CNCs contributes to an augmented surface area, facilitating gas molecule adsorption by providing an abundance of active sites.…”

High-sensitivity narrow‑band T-shaped cantilever Fabry-perot acoustic sensor for photoacoustic spectroscopy

“…Sekip et al [33] proposed a diaphragm-type transducer using cellulose triacetate and achieved a SNR of 72.20 dB at 103.16 mPa sound pressure, and the MDP was 17.91 μPa/Hz 1/2 at 2 kHz. Sun et al [34] utilized an electrostatic spinning technique to fabricate a diaphragm by assembling a composite film consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The acoustic pressure response was 1.89 V/Pa at 16.2 kHz, which was surpassed those of devices using pure polymer membranes.…”