Carbon black/polypyrrole/nitrile rubber conducting composites: synergistic properties and compounding conductivity effect

Abstract

AbstractElectrically conducting nitrile rubber (NBR) containing electro-conductive carbon black (CB) and polypyrrole as conducting-modifier were prepared by single-step in situ polymerization with mechanical mixing and compression molding (vulcanized). Our result showed CB/NBR and CB/ polypyrrole /NBR conducting composites presents high thermal stability. Thermo-gravimetric analysis showed that the CB 50 phr / polypyrrole 10 phr /NBR of composites formula has highest thermal stability with improved degradation temperature from 422 °C (NBR matrix) to 440 °C at 10% weight loss. CB 50 phr and polypyrrole 10 phr has still optimum volume resistivity values 2.83×1010 to 2.03×103 ohm-cm above the percolation threshold. Therefore, incorporating CB with polypyrrole conducting-modifier showed four causes of advantage i.e. increase in thermal stability, conductive pathways, synergistic properties on thermal stability with reinforcement mechanical properties and compounding conductivity effect within the rubber matrix.