Flexible piezoresistive sensor and heating de-icing performance based on expanded graphite/polydimethylsiloxane composite

As a common natural phenomenon, ice accretion poses great security risks to aviation, power and road traffic. In this paper, an excellent composite of expanded graphite/polydimethylsiloxane (EG/PDMS) based ice detection and electrothermal de-icing function was designed by using the excellent conductivity of expanded graphite and the good flexibility and hydrophobicity of polydimethylsiloxane. Through experiments, the hydrophobicity, piezoresistive performance and electrothermal effect of the EG/PDMS composite material were analyzed. The sensor pressure sensitivity is up to 0.15 kPa−1, and the linear piezoresistive reaction can be generated in the range of 10~110 kPa; during the electric heating process when the input voltage is 30 V and the input current is 0.05 A, the maximum equilibrium temperature is 94.7℃, and the time to completely melt 10 g of ice is 166 s. The EG/PDMS composite material has great potential application value in the field of ice exploration/deicing. The composite material has great potential application value in the field of deicing.