FLEXIBLE CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND ELECTRODE, WIRING, ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE SHIELD AND TRANSDUCER USING THE FLEXIBLE CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL
A flexible conductive material of the present invention includes an elastomer and a conductive material including silver at least in a surface. The conductive material is chemically bonded to the elastomer directly or indirectly and is thus incorporated into a mesh structure of the elastomer. Volume resistivity is 1×10 −2 Ω·cm or less in a state where the flexible conductive material is expanded by 10% in one axis direction. The flexible conductive material of the present invention is flexible and expandable/contractable and hardly increases in electrical resistance even after repeated expansion and contraction. A method of manufacturing the flexible conductive material of the present invention includes preparing a rubber composition including a rubber polymer composed of the elastomer component, the conductive material, and a reactive compound capable of being chemically bonded to both the elastomer and the conductive material and mixed when necessary; and cross-linking the prepared rubber composition.
1 . A flexible conductive material comprising:
an elastomer; and
a conductive material comprising silver at least in a surface, wherein
the conductive material is chemically bonded to the elastomer directly or indirectly and is thus incorporated into a mesh structure of the elastomer, and
volume resistivity in a state of expansion by 10% in one axis direction is 1×10 −2 Ω·cm or less.
2 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a reactive compound capable of being chemically bonded to both the elastomer and the conductive material.
3 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 2 , wherein the reactive compound comprises a sulfur compound.
4 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , wherein the volume resistivity in a state of expansion by 50% in one axis direction is 1×10 −2 Ω·cm or less.
5 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer has a functional group capable of being chemically bonded to the conductive material.
6 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 5 , wherein the functional group comprises at least one kind selected from a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, and a sulfur atom.
7 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , wherein coverage of the surface of the conductive material by at least one of the elastomer and the reactive compound is 0.5% or greater and 40% or less.
8 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an elastomer cross-linker not chemically bonded to the conductive material.
9 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is at least one kind selected from a cross-linked rubber cross-linked without an organic peroxide and a thermoplastic elastomer.
10 . The flexible conductive material according to one of claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductive material is disposed on a surface of an elastic member.
11 . The flexible conductive material according to claim 10 , wherein the elastic member comprises an elastomer and the elastomer is at least one kind selected from a cross-linked rubber cross-linked without any of sulfur, a sulfur compound, and an organic peroxide and a thermoplastic elastomer.
12 . A method of manufacturing the flexible conductive material according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
preparing a rubber composition comprising a rubber polymer comprising the elastomer component, the conductive material, and a reactive compound capable of being chemically bonded to both the elastomer and the conductive material and mixed when necessary; and
cross-linking the prepared rubber composition.
13 . The method of manufacturing the flexible conductive material according to claim 12 , wherein preparing the rubber composition comprises:
pre-treating to allow the conductive material and the reactive compound to react with each other in advance; and
mixing the chemically bonded conductive material and reactive compound with the rubber polymer.
14 . An electrode comprising the flexible conductive material according to claim 1 .
15 . A wiring comprising the flexible conductive material according to claim 1 .
16 . An electromagnetic wave shield comprising the flexible conductive material according to claim 1 .
17 . A transducer comprising:
a dielectric film comprising one of an elastomer and a resin;
a plurality of electrodes disposed with the dielectric film therebetween; and
a wiring connected to each of the plurality of electrodes, wherein
at least one of the electrodes and the wirings comprise the flexible conductive material according to claim 1 .