Electrically Conductive Block Copolymer Nanocomposites for Large-Scale Coating Applications

Electrically conductive coatings have been widely applied to convert insulators to electronics for sensing, energy harvesting, or actuator applications. However, commercially available conductive paints have issues regarding low mechanical properties and fatigue resistance. Furthermore, mass production is limited due to the extremely high price of conductive fillers and complicated manufacturing processes. Here, we introduce a low price block copolymer and carbon black nanocomposite possessing superb mechanical flexibility and electrical conductivity. Attractively, its mechanical and electrical properties can be recovered with a thermal annealing process after applying cyclic loadings with high frequencies. The nanocomposite can be coated on a variety of substrates, such as fabric, wood, glass, and plastic. This self-healing composite could be used to design wearable electronics, soft robotics, and strain sensors, which require high flexibility.