Quantum Tunneling Composites and Detectors for Intelligent Transportation Systems

The quantum tunneling composites can be used to develop new sensors, switches and controls for a wide range of applications including electronics, transport, space, medicine, defense, textiles, oil and gas, and civil engineering. In this paper, the pressure-sensitive behavior and mechanism of quantum tunneling composites were investigated. The quantum tunneling composites were used to develop traffic detectors for intelligent transportation systems. Research results indicated that quantum tunneling composites have ultrahigh sensitive response of electrical resistance to external loading, which results from field emission effect induced tunneling conduction. The developed detectors based on quantum tunneling composites exhibit such advantages as high sensitivity, fast response time, low cost and easy installation. They have great potential for monitoring traffic parameter, thus providing data support for intelligent transportation systems.