Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study

Conductive polymer composites have wide ranging applications, but when they are produced by conventional melt blending, high conductive filler loadings are normally required, hindering their processability and reducing mechanical properties. In this study, two types of polymer-polymer composites wer...

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Main Authors: S. Fakirov, S. M. Panamoottil, P. Potschke, R. J. T. Lin, D. Bhattacharyya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Budapest University of Technology and Economics 2013-07-01
Series:eXPRESS Polymer Letters
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Online Access:http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0004345&mi=cd
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author S. Fakirov
S. M. Panamoottil
P. Potschke
R. J. T. Lin
D. Bhattacharyya
author_facet S. Fakirov
S. M. Panamoottil
P. Potschke
R. J. T. Lin
D. Bhattacharyya
author_sort S. Fakirov
collection DOAJ
description Conductive polymer composites have wide ranging applications, but when they are produced by conventional melt blending, high conductive filler loadings are normally required, hindering their processability and reducing mechanical properties. In this study, two types of polymer-polymer composites were studied: i) microfibrillar composites (MFC) of polypropylene (PP) and 5 wt% carbon nanotube (CNT) loaded poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) as reinforcement, and ii) maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) compatibilizer, loaded with 5 wt% CNTs introduced into an MFC of PP and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in concentrations of 5 and 10 wt%. For the compatibilized composite type, PP and PET were melt-blended, cold-drawn and pelletized, followed by dry-mixing with PP-g-MA/CNT, re-extrusion at 200°C, and cold-drawing. The drawn blends produced were compression moulded to produce sheets with MFC structure. Using scanning electron microscopy, CNTs coated with PP-g-MA could be observed at the interface between PP matrix and PET microfibrils in the compatibilized blends. The volume resistivities tested by four-point test method were: 2.87•108 and 9.93•107 Ω•cm for the 66.5/28.5/5 and 63/27/10 (by wt%) PP/PET/(PP-g-MA/CNT) blends, corresponding to total CNT loadings (in the composites) of 0.07 vol% (0.24 wt%) and 0.14 vol% (0.46 wt%), respectively. For the non-compatibilized MFC types based on PP/(PBT/CNT) with higher and lower melt flow grades of PP, the resistivities of 70/(95/5) blends were 1.9•106 and 1.5•107 Ω•cm, respectively, corresponding to a total filler loading (in the composite) of 0.44 vol% (1.5 wt%) in both MFCs.
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series eXPRESS Polymer Letters
spelling doaj-art-51ddbbc53d8e44818004e472c75da0f92025-08-20T03:58:25ZengBudapest University of Technology and EconomicseXPRESS Polymer Letters1788-618X2013-07-017760762010.3144/expresspolymlett.2013.58Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative studyS. FakirovS. M. PanamoottilP. PotschkeR. J. T. LinD. BhattacharyyaConductive polymer composites have wide ranging applications, but when they are produced by conventional melt blending, high conductive filler loadings are normally required, hindering their processability and reducing mechanical properties. In this study, two types of polymer-polymer composites were studied: i) microfibrillar composites (MFC) of polypropylene (PP) and 5 wt% carbon nanotube (CNT) loaded poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) as reinforcement, and ii) maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) compatibilizer, loaded with 5 wt% CNTs introduced into an MFC of PP and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in concentrations of 5 and 10 wt%. For the compatibilized composite type, PP and PET were melt-blended, cold-drawn and pelletized, followed by dry-mixing with PP-g-MA/CNT, re-extrusion at 200°C, and cold-drawing. The drawn blends produced were compression moulded to produce sheets with MFC structure. Using scanning electron microscopy, CNTs coated with PP-g-MA could be observed at the interface between PP matrix and PET microfibrils in the compatibilized blends. The volume resistivities tested by four-point test method were: 2.87•108 and 9.93•107 Ω•cm for the 66.5/28.5/5 and 63/27/10 (by wt%) PP/PET/(PP-g-MA/CNT) blends, corresponding to total CNT loadings (in the composites) of 0.07 vol% (0.24 wt%) and 0.14 vol% (0.46 wt%), respectively. For the non-compatibilized MFC types based on PP/(PBT/CNT) with higher and lower melt flow grades of PP, the resistivities of 70/(95/5) blends were 1.9•106 and 1.5•107 Ω•cm, respectively, corresponding to a total filler loading (in the composite) of 0.44 vol% (1.5 wt%) in both MFCs.http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0004345&mi=cdPolymer compositesElectroconductivitycompatibilizerpolymer-polymer compositescarbon nanotubes
spellingShingle S. Fakirov
S. M. Panamoottil
P. Potschke
R. J. T. Lin
D. Bhattacharyya
Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Polymer composites
Electroconductivity
compatibilizer
polymer-polymer composites
carbon nanotubes
title Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
title_full Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
title_fullStr Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
title_full_unstemmed Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
title_short Conductivity of microfibrillar polymer-polymer composites with CNT-loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer: A comparative study
title_sort conductivity of microfibrillar polymer polymer composites with cnt loaded microfibrils or compatibilizer a comparative study
topic Polymer composites
Electroconductivity
compatibilizer
polymer-polymer composites
carbon nanotubes
url http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0004345&mi=cd
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