@article {https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.27068,
	title = {New insight into natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites as pressure sensors: Experiment, theory, and application},
	journal = {Polymer Composites},
	volume = {n/a},
	number = {n/a},
	year = {Submitted},
	abstract = {Abstract Research in hybrid and flexible natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites has included advances in innovative and environmentally sustainable devices. However, in practice, controversies still exist regarding the relationship between electrical and materials performance targets in a system design context. This work aimed to investigate the alternating conductivity of a novel pressure sensor based on semiconducting polyaniline (PANI)-coated vegetable fiber (VF, Euterpe oleracea Mart., Acai) in silicone polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) rubber. We used alternating electrical conductivity measurements, σ*(ω) ∝ ωs (frequency range{\textemdash}ω from 1 Hz to 10~MHz; s ~ 0.6), to adjust the optimal operating frequency region to enhance the pressure sensing performance of the PDMS-PANI-VF composites. A generalized effective-medium approach to the pressure-induced conductivity in terms of loading pressure, percolation regime, and the interpolation between Bruggeman{\textquoteright}s symmetric and asymmetric media theories was obtained. We have found a solution for inducing percolation in composites with a low concentration of fiber inclusions by uniaxial pressure (P), characterized by the expression σ ∝ (P-P0)t (0 <= t <= 4.0, 0 <= P0 <= 250 kPa). The sensor demonstrates maximum sensitivity of 1.5~Pa-1 in the operating electrical frequency from 1 to 100 Hz, and a wide linearity range from 0 to 250 kPa. The result provides new insight into the AC universality, s, and t behaviors of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites to enhance pressure sensitivity of a new concept and technology for resource-efficiency optimization of sustainable environmental devices.},
	keywords = {AC universality, flexible device, flexible electronics, sustainable materials},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.27068},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pc.27068},
	author = {Costa, Cleidineia Cavalcante and Ludmila Marotta Mapa and Kelmer, Ana Carolina and Ferreira, Sukarno Olavo and Rodrigo Fernando Bianchi}
}
