Conductive carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer composites and their characterization

Abstract

New electrically conductive composites reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes were studied in this work. The main properties of conductive composites, which were developed, such as electrical (dielectric spectroscopy and volume resistivity), mechanical (elongation at break, Young's modulus, yield strength), and rheological (melt flow index (MFI)) were evaluated. Loading single-walled carbon nanotubes into carbon black/polymer composites lowers the volume resistivity of such composites. The application of a small quantity of single-walled carbon nanotubes in carbon black/polymer composites allows reducing the carbon black content and improving the rheological and processing properties. The conductive polymer composites developed as part of this study can be processed by conventional processing methods such as injection molding or extrusion. Ternary conductive composites can be applied as materials with improved processing properties in electrical engineering.